By the Great Horn Spoon
by Dante Andy Anderson
Summary: Brett Pierce is a man on a mission to become his own man and find his place in the world. And he figures that the best place to start would be at the gold mines at the McKinley Township in California.
1. Chapter 1

**BY THE GREAT HORN SPOON.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing except this Storyline and plot. Glee (TV Series), Red Dead Redemption (Game), By the Great Horn Spoon (Book), Lone Ranger (Movie), Sherlock Holmes (Movie - 2009),Glee Fan Trailers on Youtube, All Music mentioned all belong to their respective labels and what not. **

** Rating: M**

**Warning: Scenes of a Sexual Nature, Violence, Abuse and Profanity. Do Not Read if you're easily offended.**

**Genre: Drama, Western**

**Notes: This story will have a Boy!Brittany and Boy!Quinn.**

**- This is theoretically a crossover, but not really, it's why it's not classed as one. Most of the Western elements are taken from the game 'Red Dead Redemption' as well as the book 'By the Great Hornspoon', but otherwise the game and book characters themselves don't really feature here.**

**- I don't know much about the Gold Rush in the U.S., only that it happened, and that it was mainly based in the Californian Area. So I do apologise for the inaccuracies that are in this story, but I do hope you will enjoy the story either way.**

Ships: Boy!Quinn/Rachel, Santana/Boy!Brittany

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

Brett Pierce shielded his eyes from the sun as he got off the boat and walked onto land for the first time in three months.

_'Wish the trains were actually running, trip would have been less hazardous than the damn ocean, minus potential bandits,'_ he thought to himself as he picked up his luggage and adjusted his bowler hat.

He started walking towards a carriage that had the words "McKinley Township" written on the side of it.

_'Good place to start what Pa wants anyway, plus I can try and make some gold,'_ he thought to himself as he entered into the Carriage and paid the driver.

"How long until we get to McKinley?" he asked.

"Say it's about an hour, two at tops, barring that we get stopped by any bandits," the driver said as Brett nodded his head.

* * *

The trip itself was boring, there were no bandits stopping the trail and Brett found himself dozing off as he waited to arrive.

A banging on the carriage door woke him up.

"We're here sonny get up, I've got work to do," the driver said as Brett picked up his bag and got out.

The town itself wasn't large, he could see that.

A few shops here and there, no law men though it seemed. He started to make his way into town to look for a saloon to get a drink and perhaps some information, feeling slightly out of dress as he was wearing a suit from the Bureau and everyone else was dressed somewhat down from him.

He received a few stares but ignored them as he kept walking.

Not paying attention he crashed into a man's back.

"Watch where you're going fresh blood," the man grumbled.

"I apologise, I'm just a bit lost, I was wondering if there was an inn here or a hotel?" Brett started.

"You giving me the eye boy?"

"No sir, I was just,"

"You made me drop my hat, that's offensive boy,"

"I'm sorry sir,"

The man started advancing at him and Brett realised that the man was drunk.

"Hey Meat, easy there buddy, don't scare the newbie," a man with hazel eyes said as he walked up to the pair.

"Paws we don't need more of them greenhorns coming here and wrecking our digs, he won't even have a stake yet," Wolf Meat grumbled.

"You're drunk, go back to your room at the inn and rest, I'll take care of this, oh, and don't forget your hat,"

Wolf Meat continued grumbling as he walked away.

"Hey partner, name's Quinton Fabray, Quinn to most of my friends, but out here they call me Paws," he said tipping his cowboy hat as well as holding his hand out for Brett to shake it.

"Yeah thanks for that, name's Brett Pierce, I just got here from Ohio, well, New York, but you know, travelled by Boat and all, was told it was the fastest way to get here since the trains aren't going fully yet," Brett said shaking Quinton's hand.

"Yeah, s'pose, they are bringing in the rails though, building it anyway, and fixing some of the them in other areas,"

"Yeah,"

"So, what brings you out here, Pierce?"

"My Pa works for the Government, wants me to be in the agency with him, I don't really want to, but I figured if he wants me to do some job out here, it'll be the furthest away from him, job may even take me down to Mexico,"

"I see, now that's interesting, you gonna stake some land while you're here?"

"It looks interesting but I wouldn't know how,"

"Ain't no better way for a man to make his own money and be his own man than to be a gold miner, but first, we gotta get you some new duds, bureau clothes ain't gonna last long out here, and you need a proper hat, them bowlers are gonna get you shot at,"

"I see,"

"You stake yourself here with me and my boys, and we'll give you the lay of the land, heck, you'll be earning your own name eventually,"

"Why's that important?"

"Just the way life runs here," Quinton said as he led Brett to his staked area .

It was rather large compared to other men and Brett naturally concluded that Quinton must have come from wealth, other men couldn't afford the type of staked land that he had.

There were two other men working in the area, one was in the lower levels that required a ladder to get to, he was incredibly tall Brett noticed, taller than he was and that was a feat in itself; the other was about Quinton's height, maybe that bit taller and had a shaved head minus the middle part reminding Brett of the Mohawks/Mohicans.

"Hey, Fists, get over here," Quinton yelled as a Mohawk man got out of his area of staked land, "Bring Jaw with you, we got us a greenhorn,"

Two men approached Brett, their faces were covered with dirt and their beards were long.

"What's up Paws? Who's the suit?" one asked.

"Fists, Jaw, this is Brett Pierce, his Daddy's a government man, but I figured he wants to make a man of himself without his Daddy's help, you know, make some stakes, all that, Brett, Fists here's real name, Noah Puckerman, he's Jewish, but don't tell nobody, they don't like Jewish Folk much out here so most people think he's a savage and we'd rather keep it that way, less trouble, he's a great shot and he's good at getting the ladies, if you're looking for one,"

"Uh, well, I," Brett started.

"I can find you a good lady, in fact, I know of a good one that might tickle your fancy, she sucks well too," Puck said as he extended his hand to Brett, "As Paws said, I'm Noah Puckerman, but they call me Lightning Fists here, or just Fists,"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Brett Pierce is my name,"

"So, are you looking for some girl action?"

"No,"

"Why?"

"I just don't really fancy it,"

"You're just like Paws, won't let no girl near his prick now that he has his own woman,"

"Hey, she's all the woman I need, you're just jealous that she went after me and not you," Quinton said as he held his hands up.

"Hey, I'm Iron Jaw, or just Jaw, Finn Hudson otherwise, I'm good with building carriages and wagons, plus I'm a Blacksmith's son, so, I know the trade, my brother, Kurt Hummel, owns the local Saloon and Brothel in town, but, don't tell nobody that he's about as straight as Sidewinder Gulch,"

Brett just looked at him as he shook the guy's hand.

"Sidewinder Gulch ain't straight," Quinton clarified as understanding passed Brett's face.

"You ain't got a problem with that, do you?" Finn asked.

"No, sister's the same way," Brett clarified.

"Good, well, I'm going back to work, Kurt needs me to help in the Saloon later, and a fight is going to happen tonight, you don't want to miss it," Finn said as he waved bye and went back to mining his portion of the staked land.

"Yeah, I should work and then get ready, it's my fight tonight, we'll show you how McKinley men are," Puck smirked as he went back to work.

"So greenhorn, you interested?" Quinton asked.

"Yeah," Brett said with a smile.

"Good, because I wasn't really giving you a choice, you wanna get new duds, you gotta work for it,"

"I figured that,"

"Well, all I can say now is, Welcome to McKinley," Quinton said as he patted Brett on the back.

* * *

**AN:** I seem to have stories out the wa-zoo, but oh well.  
I'll try and finish the four unfinished ones I have before I post any other stories and everything gets out of hand.  
(I have a Harry Potter one that I plan on posting at some stage).

Hope you enjoyed this first chapter.

Just another side note, the Brittana relationship will happen quite a bit later, and you won't get Faberry for another chapter or so.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **I'm not going to bother with disclaimers as I put them at the beginning of every story I write/wrote and to keep writing them for each chapter is monotonous.

Also, I have gone over a couple of fics (including this one) and noticed that I have a couple of grammar errors and/or missing words, I apologise for those, maybe it's just me being over pedantic about my work, but I always stare at them going... "Grrr, I read this story X number of times to make sure it was correct, how'd I not notice this?"  
So apologise for that, I will try and not make errors (or so many errors) in the future.

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

After showing Brett more of the town, Quinton invited the tall blonde to share the room that he rented from Kurt just above the saloon, which Brett took happily.

"Now, we got to get you some stuff, here, you can have this, it's one of my old gold pans, I got a better one now, and I'll teach you how to pan for gold at the digs," Quinton said as he handed Brett the pan and a razor blade.

"Uh, what is the razor for?"

"You are going to shave my beard,"

"I'm what now?"

"Look, just shave my beard into the pan okay, don't lose any of the hair,"

Brett sighed as he got some water and started shaving Quinn's face.

"Dang, I forgot what it was like to not have a beard, my missus will be pleased you did this for me," Quinton said, "Now grab those scissors and trim my hair short, and like I said, keep all the hair in the pan,"

Brett did so, when Quinton was done, Brett could see that the man wasn't really that much older than he was.

"Oh it's good to feel weightless," he said as he patted his face, "Now, let me teach you how to get some gold out of a man's beard and hair,"

Quinton showed Brett how to clean a man's hair and beard, after it had been shaven off, and showed him that there was still remnants of gold dust to be collected.

Brett grinned, he got a bit of money now.

"See, easy," Quinton said.

"Thanks Quinn," Brett said.

"It's Paws around here boy,"

"Right, Paws, thanks, I'm going to make some money now,"

With that, Brett ran downstairs and put up a sign outside on the pavement that read _"Free Haircuts, Miners Only"_

Quinton laughed as he watched his new friend cut hair, then use the wash pan to clean the hair and retrieve the gold from it.

* * *

When Brett accumulated enough gold in Quinton's opinion, the two went to sell it at the bank and opened Brett's account with the town.

"Money will be safe here, McKinley is a good place to save money, and since everyone knows everyone, you try and hamstring someone, you're gonna get lynched," Quinton explained as the two exited the bank with Brett now holding some more money in his pocket.

"Good to know," Brett said.

They walked past a clothing store and Quinton dragged Brett in while saying, "Them pants are known as Jeans, good material, was used to make tents once, 'til a man found out you could make them into pants that miners would use, Bastard made a killing off them too,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, now lets buy you some duds, and look, you can get a proper hat here too,"

When the two bought what they needed in town, Brett was ready and willing to go back to the staked land.

"So, how does this work? I mean, if I find gold, do you and the other two get cuts?"

"Yeah of course, the three of us own that staked land, it's why it's larger than the others, see the thing about the three of us is that we ain't greedy, we work as a team,"

"Can I buy a share too?"

"Of course you can, we always appreciate the help son,"

"So, once I'm changed can I go to the dig and start?"

"No boy,"

"Why?"

"It's almost night time, besides we got a fight to witness and I have money to make,"

* * *

That evening, the saloon was bustling with noise.

Brett watched as Kurt poured drinks for people and conversed with them. He had met the man an hour ago and the guy seemed nice, a bit up the nose for his liking, but what can you expect?

Currently, Brett was sat on a bar stool having just finished reading through the boxing handbook. It was a good read, and he decided that it was a good idea to train himself too, never know when some drunk miner decided that they'd want a piece of him.

Quinton and Puck were good at fighting, he found out that that was how they both got their names and they agreed to teach him what they knew.

The following day of course.

As of right now though, Puck was stretching and getting ready for his fight and Quinton was sat next to Brett drinking some whiskey while talking to Brett about life in McKinley.

"There ain't much to do here at McKinley, unless you got a job, like me, Fists and Jaw do, Jaw mines for the hell of it, gold he finds goes to his family, he's a decent man, tried his luck with my woman once, they didn't work out, lucky me, Fists is a Cowboy, yes, but he's also a gunsmith, ain't not better person to see than him, and me, I'm a Doctor by trade, I make good money, but Mining, there's something about it that's soothing," Quinton said, "Anyway, main things to do here is drink, mine and fuck, that's all there is, plenty of women down at the brothel will give you a good fuck, man has needs and he'll go after it,"

"You don't?" Brett asked.

"No, I'm a moral man, Lightning Fists here don't give two shits about it, he loves his women, so, he ain't gonna want to settle down,"

"So you do have someone?"

"Yeah, her name's Rachel Berry, two fathers, but she'll tell you that one's her Father and the other is a beloved Uncle, it's how they can get by in life, she's a Lounge Singer in San Francisco, her good friend Jesse St. James looks after her for me,"

"You ain't worried he'll work his way into her?"  
"No, he's like Kurt, actually, the two of them are, well, courting, so to speak, I look after Kurt here, Jesse returns the favour for me with Rachel,"

"I see," Brett said, before asking, "Why do people have nicknames here? I've been meaning to ask ya, and how'd you get yours?"

"Well, like I said, ain't much to do here at McKinley,"

"Yeah, except for fucking, mining and drinking, got that,"

"Yeah, well, there is fighting, some nights the men will arrange for a Fight Night like they are tonight, sometimes its' between locals, others, it's between all the different Digging Towns, can make some money there too,"

"I see,"

"A man gets his name by what he does, like Pitch Pine Billy, and Jamoka Jack, as well as Quartz Jackson, Bullwhip and Wolf Meat,"

"Yeah, got it, so, a man is nicknamed by what he does,"

"Exactly, you don't want no cheating name in your name or a pussy name,"

"So, how do I go about getting a name?"

"Depends, you wanna get a fighting name, you go into fights, or if you wanna mine, you can get your name by where you're from,"

"I don't want to be known as a Lima Loser,"

"Well, then, I suppose we could get you fighting, you know, while you earn some money and look for clues on this case your Daddy got you on,"

"Sounds good to me, so, how'd you get your names?"

"Well, Lion Paws for me, because apparently, I fight like a Lion, my hands are like a Lion's paws, cuts someone good, I come at you, I don't stop, and apparently I roar too, most people say I'm like a Mountain Lion,"

"I gotta see that, though, you looked more like a Grizzly Bear than a Lion when I first met you,"

Quinton laughed before continuing, "Lightning Fists because he's damn fast with his fists, a man has a hard time blocking against him, he wins about ninety percent of the fights he goes into,"

"Ah ha,"

"And Iron Jaw, hell, you can hit him in the face as many times as you want, takes him forever until he goes down, personally, I say it's because he's dimmer than a busted lamp,"

Brett laughed again, "Does he know you say that about him?"

"He knows, and he don't care,"

Brett just nodded his head.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TONIGHT WE HAVE A FIGHT BETWEEN LIGHTNING FISTS AND ROCKS JOE," the announcer for the evening yelled as everyone crowded around the fighting pit.

"REMEMBER TO PLACE YOUR BETS AT THE COUNTER," the announcer continued as many men and a couple of women went to place their bets.

"You gonna bet greenhorn?" Quinton asked.

"Yeah, I'll put money on Puck, I mean Fists to win," Brett said.

"How much?"

"I dunno, twenty,"

"Good, he'll appreciate you have that much faith in him, twenty is a lot of money,"

Brett just shrugged his shoulders.

In less than fifteen minutes the fight was under way and Brett saw how Puck earned his nickname, the guy was damn fast and in five minutes the fight was over and Rocks Joe was out unconscious on the ground.

The crowd cheered as they lifted Puck onto their shoulders and Puck raised his arms in victory before jumping down, collecting his winnings and disappearing with a woman.

"He'll be gone all night," Quinton chuckled, "C'mon greenhorn, we should turn in for the night, tomorrow we'll start training you in the mine and training you how to fight,"

"Sounds great," Brett said as he followed his new friend up to their room.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **Hey all, so, I've just recently finished another fanfiction of mine, which is the reason why I haven't been around to continue this one. But now I'm back for this one, and I hope to get you at least one chapter a day up and going. I'm going to try and focus on finishing one story at a time, it seems better that way.  
But we shall see, I may write this one as the same times as another.  
Anyway, I apologise for the delay in getting this chapter out to you.****

Enjoy Chapter 3.

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

"A fight is a fight, as long as it's not at the manhood, then anything goes, mostly, we just box, no one really kicks, you can if you want, but, stick to boxing if you know that best," Quinton said as he looked at Brett, who was still attempting to mine away at some rock but was having difficulty at it.

"Though, some people fight dirty, so, be careful of that," Puck said as he joined them and gave Brett a drink of whiskey.

"So, no one regulates it like a boxing match?" Brett asked as he tried again at the rock, only to have Quinton move his hands slightly to the left where the rock was looser.

"Nope, you fight for as long as the fight goes, you can call yourself out, but no man does that, he'd rather just be knocked out than pussy his way out,"

"Ah,"

"Just don't hit a man in his prick, that's the only time people will be against you, last guy who tried ended up in hospital,"

"Good to know, but I don't plan on fighting dirty, using items to my advantage, I might, if I have to,"

"Oh, and no shirts, and nothing on your wrists, hands or fingers,"

"Okay, got it,"

See, it had been a few days since Puck had his fight against Rocks Joe, and he was now teaching Brett about fighting while they were mining at the digs.

The tall blonde had been learning the ropes of the place and was enjoying himself as he tried to ignore the fact that he wouldn't be able to stay in this place forever.

He sighed, he had a decent amount of gold in his bank account now, thanks to Quinton, Puck and Finn, and he even had a chance to read in his spare time as he waited for news on where to go next.

* * *

It had been a few weeks since he had arrived in McKinley, he felt himself fill up a bit more with muscle as his skin tanned a bit from working in the sun and training with Puck and Quinton in the art of fighting.

He had read the gentlemen's book of boxing, which he knew would prove useful one of these days.

Gaining a bit of renown, so to speak, around the town was also good, everyone seemed to like him, Brett was just a cheery soul, according to a lot of people, and he was a good poker player.

Aside from that, he seemed to pick up odd jobs very well, he would help break horses, sometimes he'd be seen serving at the bar other times he'd be saving a girl from a rowdy drunkard (not that that happened too often).

It wasn't long before Quinton approached him about an upcoming fight.

"Hey greenhorn, you wanna start earning a name?" Quinton asked.

"Yeah, sure, when?" Brett asked.

"There's a fight tonight, if you're game for it,"

"I'm game, who am I fighting?"

"Smithy, he's not a bad fighter actually, big guy, but all brawn so you have to watch out for him,"

"Great, I'll start preparing,"

"Not just yet, I need to talk to you first,"

"Why?"

"Listen, I've been meaning to ask you, can you shoot a gun or a pistol,"

"Yes to both,"

"Oh good,"

"Why?"

"Well I figured with you learning how to ride horses and all that, one of these days you can come hunting with me, and it'd be a good idea to learn how to use the rope for when you catch 'em bastards,"

"That is a good point, I'm up for that too,"

"Good, for now, go back and focus on your fight tonight,"

Brett just nodded his head.

* * *

That evening Brett felt his body go crazy as it was pumping itself up with adrenaline, he was excited, his first fight.

He felt that he could win this, well, until he saw how large his opponent was. It wasn't the fact that the guy was taller than him, no, Brett seemed to be taller than most folk here, it was the size of the man's gut.

_'Good lords,'_ Brett thought to himself as the fight was announced.

He took his footing as he was taught but was decked in the face hard.

He fell but got up quickly as he ducked and weaved, trying to gauge his opponent. The two fought for a while, landing small hits here and there, blocking.

After about five minutes he was decked again and again; and with the next hit, he flew into the wall.

Quinton started laughing at him and saying, "Boy, maybe you aren't ready for this, this fight is pathetic,"

"What? I can fight, I'll show you, I'm just gauging him, that's all," Brett said, he was tired and panting, the fight wasn't over in his mind as he got up slowly and faced the miner.

"Oh, you want some more huh?" the miner said as he spat at him, "Well, I ain't one to back down,"

"Just one moment," Brett said as he looked at Quinton and tried to catch his breath.

"Hey, don't turn your back on me," the Miner yelled at him, then spat at the back of Brett's head. As Brett got slightly mad at that, he had a plan of fighting back form in his head.

_'I mustn't let anger cloud my judgement in this,'_ Brett said to himself, _'First, distract opponent by flashing hand in front of him, then, block his blind jab, counter with cross to left cheek, discombobulate by clapping at both of his ears, dazed, he'll attempt wild haymaker, deploy elbow block, and then, body shot, block feral left, weaken his right jaw, then fracture, now, break cracked ribs, then damage solar plexus, dislocate his jaw entirely, heel kick to diaphragm, in summary, ears ringing, jaw fractured, three ribs cracked, bruised ego, recovery time, six months, him spitting at me, ancient history,"_

And with that, Brett did as he planned. His movements were so fast and his assumptions of his opponents movements were spot on that the fight was over very quickly.

Everyone was stunned.

"Told ya, I was testing his abilities," Brett said as he walked out of the ring and proceeded to take his fair share of his winnings from the bookie then grabbed an imported beer from Ireland and started drinking.

"God damn boy, you fight like you're a bullet," one Miner said.

"Yeah, like from them Buffalo Rifles, he just hit the right spots and hard, opponent just goes down like that," another said.

Quinton took this opportunity to give Brett his nickname, "Gentlemen, I think we can all agree on this name for him, I give you 'THE BISON BULLET'" he yelled out proudly as the group cheered.

"Yeah, punches like a Bison Bullet," the miners all yelled.

* * *

As the groups dispersed and Quinton went to check on the man keeping the winnings, then came back, he was grinning from ear to ear.

"You did a number on him Bison," Quinton laughed, "Hell, I made a killing off you,"

"You bet for me to win?" Brett asked in surprise.

"Course, I have faith in my friends to pull through, and I knew you could fight, hell, I knew you were gauging,"

"Then why did you call me pathetic?"

"Knew it would rile you into hurrying up and ending the fight, I wanted some suds,"

"Don't you want some women?"

"No, like I said, I have a woman, she's the only one I need,"

"What about a man's needs?"

"A good man waits for his woman, she'll be seeing me soon, and I know we'll make up for lost time,"

"Shit damn, my arms hurt like hell though,"

"You need a good bath, then you and me have to go riding,"

"What? But I'm sore and tired,"

"Too freaking bad boy, it's our turn on Nightwatch,"

"Fine, let me bath and I'll meet you at the horses,"

"Yeah about that, you need to get your own horse,"

"I do?"

"Yeah, meet you outside when you're done,"

Brett did as told as he washed up, got changed and put on his cowboy hat. One thing he had learnt here, a man was nothing without his hat, so he kept it with him when needed.

As he exited the building he saw Quinton waiting for him while looking at a picture.

"Who you looking at?" Brett asked as Quinton showed him the picture of a beautiful dark haired woman, "That her?"

"Yep, that's her, Rachel Berry," Quinton said as he put the picture back in his pocket, "When she gets here I'm gonna make love to her like nobody's business,"

Brett laughed.

"So, Bison, see this black horse with the white mane next to me, it's known as a War Horse fastest damn horse there is in the West and has great stamina," Quinton said, "The one next to it is an American Standardbred, also a damn fast horse, not as great stamina as the War, but has better stamina than any other horse here,"

"Okay, so, are they yours?" Brett asked.

"Well, yes, the War one is called Pistol, the American one needs a name,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's yours,"

"What?"

"I took some of your winnings from tonight, figured you wouldn't mind, and got you the damn horse, also Fists, Jaws, Kurt and I put the money together to get her for you, we knew you'd need her, but you look after her now, a horse is only as loyal to you as you are to it,"

"Man, you're treating me like a little brother, thank you,"

"The four of us, we look after our own, and you are like a brother to me, that little annoying shit who seems to mine in the wrong place but his heart at least is in the right one,"

"Sorry,"

"Don't be, c'mon now, let's go,"

The two mounted their horses and started their Nightwatch routine.

As the sun rose, nothing had happened during the night, Brett had learnt that every evening it was someone's turn, tonight it was his and Quinton's, tomorrow it would be someone elses. The whole purpose was to make sure peace was assured in the town.

"There ain't no Law man here, or Marshalls, so we look after everyone here," Quinton had told him.

Brett just nodded his head at him, perhaps this was something he could look into when all of the searching he'd have to do was over.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Hey all, thank you to those who have reviewed, but are guests to the site, so I couldn't PM you a Thank You.  
Just to let you all know, Santana won't be in this story for a bit as she's in a different area all together, but should hopefully not be too many chapters away.

**Hope you will all enjoy Chapter 4.**

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

Life was pretty sweet in McKinley for Brett. He did almost everything that there was to do in town, work, mine, sleep, eat and fight. As for the "fucking" as Puck would say to him, Brett didn't care for it, and there seemed to be no one there who caught his attention.

Today, he and the crew were having a nice day off from the dig. The miners had a code of honour around that and that was that no one goes to another's dig and steals on penalty of lashes and potential death.

For now, the group were at an auction, looking through all the junk that people didn't want.

Although, there was a horn spoon selling that Brett was keeping his eye on.

Soon a box full of neckties appeared and all the men laughed at it.

However, in that moment, Puck had asked Brett if he wanted to go eat something to which Brett said, "Nah, I just ate,"

"We have the neckties going for eight," the auctioneer said, "Do I have an eight and a half?"

"What, no, I said ate, A-T-E, not eight," Brett tried to argue.

"We ain't much for spelling down here, now I heard you say eight," the Auctioneer said.

"But,"

"Going once, going twice, sold for eight dollars,"

"But,"

"You ain't going to back down on your word now, are you son?"

"I'd rather you get shot than go back on your word," Quinton said to Brett, who sighed and handed over the money.

"What the hell am I going to do with neck ties?" Brett whined.

"You made a good deal there," Quinton said with a grin.

"How so, Paws? Best thing he could do with them is tie them up and create his own stake of land," Puck said.

"You'll see, y'all will see, Bison will have the last laugh,"

"I hope you're right Paws," Brett grumbled as he took the box.

A few days later, the town was in a buzz.

"Hey, you hear, Sam Evans, Surfers Gold, his missus is coming," a miner said as he looked at all the gathered men.

"Man, it's been so long since I saw a woman, I near forgot what one looks like," another miner said.

"That's 'cause you prefer the boys don't you Riff?" his friend laughed.

"I do not, at least I ain't the one caught pleasuring himself to a picture of a woman that turned out to be a man,"

That made everyone roar with laughter as the miners talked amongst themselves.

"This is it, Bison," Quinton said looking at Brett, who frowned, "Trust me, let's go wash up, shave our faces, and put on some nice clothes and get those bow ties on, trust me,"

Brett shrugged his shoulders and did as told.

When they were done, the two of them walked out and everyone was staring at them.

"Howdy gents, don't we look good enough for a woman?" Quinton smirked.

It wasn't long before all the miners lined up for bow ties.

"Bison, I'll give you a pinch of gold for a tie," one yelled.

"I'll give you two," another yelled.

"I'll give five,"

"What did I tell you all? Huh? Bison made a smart buy and cornered the market, now, all of you line up and get your neckties, I'll get Jaw to take a pinch of gold from your gold purses, since his fingers are the biggests," Quinton said, "And if you boys want to get shaved and clean up, see Bison, he knows how to cut hair and beard as good as any barber,"

It was a whole two hours before all the miners were clean and either had shaved off their beards or trimmed them. And Brett was pretty happy that he had acquired quite a lot of gold. He was going to visit the bank tomorrow.

* * *

One morning as Brett was learning about lassoing and hunting, and currently failing miserable as he ended up tying himself up by accident much to the amusement of Quinton, a telegram came for him.

"Telegram for Brett Pierce," the boy had said.

"I'm kinda tied up at the moment," Brett said as he tried to untangle himself only to fall over, Quinton was in hysterics.

"Boy here, I'll take it, you keep the change now," Quinton laughed as he dropped the boy some coin.

"Thank you Mr Paws," the boy said as he ran off.

"Huh, will you look at that,"

"Look at, WHOA!" Brett asked as he fell over onto his face, but managed to get out of the rope.

When he got up and dusted himself he looked at Quinton.

"We have a town fight coming," Quinton said.

"So why is the telegram for me?" Brett asked.

"Because you've made your name as the Bison Bullet, and Carmel Town heard about it, says here that Raging Buffalo wants to fight you,"

"Who?"

"Raging Buffalo, his real name is Laurance Zizes, big hell of a man, best fighter there is, no one's beaten him, not even me or Fists, Jaw has never fought him," Quinton said to Brett.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, you're good Bison, but I don't know,"

"I can take him, trust me I can,"

"You have a game plan?"

"In a manner of speaking,"

"Oh?"

"Trust me, I've read a book that teaches me all about it," Brett said, "It was called 'The Gentleman's Book of Boxing or The fine Art of Fisticuffs Explained and Illustrated',"

"You planning on beating him with reading?" Quinton said amused as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, I'll wager that Buffalo ain't read a book in his damn life,"

"Not from what I've been told,"

"So, if I can out read him, I'll be able to outwit him too, like I did with the last guy,"

"I really want to see how you're going to use readin' and writin' to win a bare-knuckle match against a wild man,"

"You'll see, Buffalo is at a disadvantage, you'll see,"

"Sure you wanna fight him, Bison?"

"Yeah, not by choice, but, I need to defend the honour of McKinley against Carmel Town, and trust me, I'll win, Buffalo don't know B in a Bull's Foot, and that's how I'll get him,"

"If you say so, Bison,"

* * *

Brett started to prepare, the fight was three days away, ample time for him personally, but he had to be ready.

People were all starting to bet on him, most didn't think he'd win, so they bet against him. But he'd show them.

Puck, Finn and Quinton all put him in extra training just so he'd be ready for it.

When the day arrived, there was quite a bit of fanfare, Brett finally got a look at Zizes, and hell, he was a big man, looked more like a mountain than a man.

But he didn't let that deter him.

As the day wore on, the fight was ready to take place, this time it was outside in the dust and the middle of the town.

Brett stood in his corner, and Zizes in his.

"This fight won't take long, Chang, make sure you make me some of them oysters," Zizes yelled to Mike Chang, who nodded his head.

_'Shows what you know,'_ Brett thought.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, TODAY WE WILL WITNESS THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE RAGING BUFFALO FROM CARMEL TOWN AND OUR VERY OWN, BISON BULLET, LET US HOPE YOU BET ON THE RIGHT MAN, ARE YOU READY, AND FIGHT!" the announcer yelled.

The fight began, Buffalo was slow but he was strong, he landed one punch on Brett's face, sending the blonde to the ground, but he got back up.

In the end, all that happened was Brett ducking and weaving and tiring Zizes out.

The Oysters that Zizes had ordered were now burning, as Mike Chang had to pull them out to stop them from burning them too much. Brett decided it was time to end the fight.

He scoped his opponent out for a weak spot, and figured that a nose was still a nose; he wagered as he swung and hit Zizes hard in the face, making the tall man back down and growl angrily.

But Brett didn't move as much as he swung around and hit the man again in the face until the final punch finally put Zizes on the ground.

Brett had won the fight.

"THE BISON BULLET WINS, looks like he upheld McKinley's name against Carmel Town and he has proved that he is the bullet that can beat any Buffalo," the commentator yelled as Brett was being surrounded by congratulatory slaps on the back from many of the men who had bet on him to win.

As the crowd dispersed, he saw Quinton walk up to him, Puck and Finn were already gone, celebrating he supposed.

"I won a fortune, enough for me and my woman," Quinton said happily.

"You, bet, on, me?" Brett panted as he wiped sweat off his brow.

"Like I said, I trust my friends to win for me, like they trust me to win for them,"

"True,"

"Hey, here's your share of the wins my friend,"

"Thank you,"

"You earned it, come on, let's go get some whiskey, and if you want, you can go have some fun with some woman,"

"I just might, though, I'm tired and bruised, I might just drink then head in for the night,"

"That woman over there is giving you the eye,"

Brett glanced over and saw a blonde woman waving her fingers at him, and giving him a seductive look.

"I can see you going hot, Brother," Quinton laughed.

Brett turned red as the woman approached him.

"You want a good night? I can give you one, for free, you got me hot and bothered, and I made some good money off of you," the woman said.

"Well, I, um,"

"You aren't a baby are you?"

"Well, no, it's just, I've never been with a woman for just the night,"

"Believe me Sugar, it's fun,"

Brett looked at Quinton who just waved him away.

"You look after my things?" Brett asked as Quinton smirked and nodded his head.

The woman smiled as she took Brett by the hand and led him up the stairs to one of the spare rooms in the brothel.

Quinton just shook his head as he went back to his room above Kurt's Saloon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

It was one of those lazy days for Brett as he lay out on the roof of Kurt's Saloon sunbathing and sleeping.

His bruised face had healed and he was back at work, well, except for today that is.

He was happy with life and just relaxing in the sun for today.

Quinton was in his Doctor's Office today working and looking after the ill, sick and injured; Puck was at his Gunsmith shop that he ran fixing rifles and selling them; and Finn was working at the Blacksmith shop making horseshoes today.

Eventually, a commotion woke him up as he got up and walked to the edge of the roof to see what was going on.

He looked down and saw a carriage pull up with luggage on the top.

Quinton was seen exiting his practice, so whoever it was, was important to him.

Brett grabbed his hat and put his shirt back on as he climbed down the side of the building and walked up to Quinton's side.

Quinton was smiling from ear to ear as the carriage door opened and a young brunette woman walked out.

"Boys, this is my girl, Rachel Barbra Berry," Quinton said with a grin as he placed a hand around Rachel's waist gently as Rachel leaned into him for a kiss, which he did before saying, "The girl I waited for,"

Rachel smiled as she waved at everyone.

"Damn Paws, she's a beauty," one miner said as Brett walked up to Rachel.

"Please-ing to make your acquaintance ma'am," he said as he kissed her hand.

"Oi, Bison, away from my woman," Quinton said as Rachel laughed.

"I'm pleased to meet you…Bison?" Rachel said.

"It's Brett actually, but everyone here likes to call me Bison,"

"So Rachel, how was the trip? Any bandit problems?" Quinton asked.

"No, I had a good guard, and I took the train for the most part, so it was good," Rachel answered, "I am kinda hungry though,"

"Oh, okay, c'mon back to my place, I share it with Bison, we'll feed you,"

"Okay, pleased to meet you all,"

With that, the miners whistled and cheered as they watched Quinton take Rachel's hand and walk with her, carrying her luggage with him, back to Kurt's Saloon. Brett grabbed the last two cases for them.

That evening, Brett ended up having to crash with Finn, he didn't want to go to Puck's room because the guy seemed to be shoving his prick into yet another girl that evening.

Finn was currently at the Saloon, helping Kurt downstairs with serving and stock taking as Brett was drinking, trying hard to ignore the shaking lights up above him as every other miner hollered at the sounds of Quinton and Rachel moaning, the banging of the headboard and the bed creaking. It was no mistake what those two were doing.

_'Getting reacquainted alright,'_ Brett thought with a smirk as he downed his whiskey.

* * *

The next morning, when everyone was back in the saloon having either a small meal or some whiskey before it was time for working, or for some mining, today Brett was going to go mining with Puck and Finn as he was unsure what Quinton was doing, Quinton had just walked downstairs with a grin on his face, Rachel just behind him.

The miners who were there saw him and started cheering at him when he reached the ground floor.

"Dammit Paws, we all heard you last night," one miner roared as he banged his beer on the table.

"You and her, whoa, satisfying your woman huh?" another yelled as good cheer and laughter rang out and Quinton turned red next to an amused Rachel who was now standing next to him.

"We were worried the small chandelier and the lights were going to fall," a man nicknamed Dirt laughed merrily.

"Dang, she must have been good, you two were at it all night," another miner laughed.

"Of course she must be good, he was probably standing at attention since she got here,"

"I need to get me a woman," yet another yelled.

"Wonderful friends you have here, Quinn," Rachel said quietly as she laughed.

Quinton didn't say anything as he took her hand and kissed it.

"If you're all done, I have an announcement," Quinton said as the men quieted down, "I'm getting married, and moving with my missus to San Francisco,"

The men were quiet for a moment before they cheered and congratulated him.

"We'll miss ya, Paws, you be sure to come visit us sometime, huh?" one miner said.

"I will, Miner's promise,"

"You sure you want to leave, Paws?"

"It's what the Missus wants, but we'll get married here, and we'll reside here for a bit before we move completely,"

* * *

Later that day, Rachel was in more casual clothing than what she had arrived in as she said hi to Finn and Puck at the dig.

"You really going to leave?" Brett asked.

"Wouldn't you do anything for your wife if you had one?" Quinton asked.

"She's not your wife yet,"

"But she will be,"

"Yeah, true, guess I'm just sad to see you go,"

"I'm sad to go, but we'll be back, Rachel knows I love this place just as much, so, we'll work something out,"

"Yeah,"

"So, before I start digging, there are telegrams for you," Quinton said as he handed Brett a file with a stack of telegrams in it, Brett brushed his hands as clean as he could as he took them and started reading.

"It's from my Pa, apparently, he's annoyed I'm taking so long, and he has a lead, I have to go to Mexico, Aaron Williamson, son of the late Bill Williamson is there, apparently," Brett said.

"Are you serious? Aaron Williamson, that's who you're chasing,"

"Yeah, I gotta go to Mexico,"

"I see,"

"Dang it, I don't want to go, but, I have to catch this man and bring him to justice,"

"Why is he so important?"

"A few years ago, a man named John Marston killed Bill Williamson and brought Javier Escuella to justice, Dutch Van Der Linde jumped to his death according to Agent Archer, but it was made to look like Marston put a bullet in his dead,"

"I heard about Marston, killed on his ranch apparently,"

"Yeah, Agent Ross betrayed him and killed him, no one knew about it until Agent Archer finally came clean, Ross was killed in Mexico, no one knows by whom, but many suspect it was Jack Marston, but we ain't gonna follow the guy and get him, Ross was an asshole and everyone hated him,"

"Okay, so, what's the deal with this new Williamson?"

"He's starting up the gang again, like his Daddy apparently, he's not as bad as Dutch, but his partner in crime, Marcus Dutch is, he's insane, I have to get them before they hurt any more people,"

"I see,"

Brett sighed, "I don't know what to do, I don't have networks in Mexico,"

"Listen, I had a mentor in all things fighting, shooting and riding, an Old Gun of the West, nickname is Quick Pistol, friend of Landon Ricketts, they live a small town called Chuparosa, Nuevo Paradiso, in Mexico, knows everything, you find Quick Pistol, and you're sure to find your wanted men," Quinton said.

"Thanks," Brett said as he climbed out of the pit. He had packing to do.

That night he finished packing up his gear, everything he could take with him. He knew he had to leave now to get to Mexico some time during the daylight.

Finn walked up to him with some gear, "Here you go Bison, some flints for when you travel so you can light a fire, and a bedroll, plus a light blanket, you're going to need it,"

"Thanks Jaw," Brett said as he took the rolls and started to pack them onto his horse's saddle outside.

"Here Bison, I got you these and modified them," Puck said as he handed Brett a few boxes of ammo to put in his horses saddle bag, as well as a High Powered Pistol, a sawn-off shotgun, and a Winchester Rifle.

"Thanks Fists," Brett said as he shouldered the rifle on one side, put the sawn-off on the other and put the pistol into his holster. He also put a few spare shotgun shells into the spare holders on his holster.

That night he said farewell to all the miners as he was getting ready to go.

All them told him they wished him well and that he'd better be back.

As he finished saddling his pure black horse, that he had named Midnight, Quinton walked up to him with a new lasso and hunting knife.

"I'll join ya in a couple of days, alright, telegram ya, so keep a look out for me," Quinton said to him.

"Will do, but, what about your Missus?" Brett asked as he thanked Quinton at the same time for the lasso and knife.

"She'll understand, in fact, she knows, I was talking to her about it,"

"It's like she's got you on a leash,"

"Fists said something more along the lines of she's got a whip on me,"

"So true, but, you love her, she loves you,"

"Exactly, besides, there ain't nothing for me to do really in San Fran, so, I figured, I'd help you when I can, I just got to get settled, that's all,"

"Ah, true, well, I better get going,"

"Will see ya around Bison,"

"See ya Paws, say bye to McKinley again for me,"

"Will do, but you'll come back, I know it, we made some good money here, and had some good memories, so,"

"Yeah, that's true, until I see you again, friend,"

"See ya,"

"Wait," a voice rang out, it was Rachel, "Hey, I have something for you too,"

Brett paused as he looked at Rachel. She handed him a couple of maps as well as a compass.

"I think you might find these useful," she said as she gave him the items.

"Wow, thank you Ma'am," Brett said as he took the items.

"It's Rachel,"

"Right, thank you Rachel,"

"Oh, and here, a lamp, you may be wanting that too, it's small enough, but the oil should last a few nights as needed,"

"Thank you, you guys have me all set to go,"

"Well, we don't want you dying you know," Quinton said as Brett saddled his horse and waved goodbye.

* * *

**AN: **So, Brett's now heading into Mexico, it won't be long before we get to meet a certain Latina, but I will warn you, it will be a bit of a trigger scene and she will be a bit OOC. Please adhere to the warnings posted in Chapter 1.  
Hope you enjoyed this one.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **Okay, so, longish chapter ahead.  
And just to let you all know, **there is physical abuse mention/shown in this chapter** so be weary of that.

Also, excuse the very, very bad Spanish translations.

**Hope you will enjoy Chapter 6.**

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

It was a long ride to Blackwater though Brett knew he could catch a train to Mexico from there. So it was a trip he was willing to make.

When the sun rose, he reached the city, he paid the train man so that he could have a freight box filled with hay to feed Midnight and have some food for himself for the long train ride.

As the train left, he thought over what to do when he arrived at Chuparosa in Nuevo Paradiso and as he looked over one of the maps that Rachel had given him.

The area he'd be based in didn't seem overly large, and the places were a few days between them, so that was okay. Hopefully Williamson would be there and he'd be able to return to America pretty soon.

He sighed as he thought about life at the dig. He missed the place, it was small, simple and mostly everyone was friendly, sure there were some assholes, but they were dealt with quickly.

The place really needed to have a law system going of some nature. Maybe he could become a Marshall or a Deputy, that way he'd have the law there, and still be a miner.

Eventually the train came to a halt and he found himself at Chuparosa.

Exiting the train with Midnight, Brett hitched the horse to a post and looked around.

A few of the locals of the town were looking at him.

"Hey Gringo, you lost?" one of the men asked as he advanced at Brett.

"Uh, no, I'm looking for someone," Brett started.

"Hey, the Gringo is lost and so stupid," one of the man's friends said as they laughed and advanced on him.

"Gringo, gringo, habla espanol?" the first man asked.

"A little, any of you speak English?" Brett asked.

"Sure, stupid bean eater, filthy Mexican, all from your country gringo, oh and little piece of shit, comprende amigo?"

"Uh, well,"

"What you doing here? Huh? I don't recall inviting you to my country,"

"I wasn't invited, but I mean no harm amigo,"

"You mean no harm? That's funny man,"

The men all laughed at him.

"Nothing amigo, it's nothing, I appreciate the welcome, but I'm looking for someone," Brett said.

One of the men stole Brett's hat and then joined the other men.

"HEY," he said, "Give that back,"

"Hey gringo, can I look at your boots?" the first man asked.

"You can see them just fine from where you are,"

"C'mon gringo,"

"Fine,"

The men laughed as Brett knelt down and looked like he was going to undo his boots, but really he just drew out his pistol and shot each man in the leg, making them fall.

The men screamed in pained as Brett walked up to them and took his hat back, "Assholes," he said.

"Well, well, that was an interesting job done," a woman said to him.

Brett turned and looked and saw a woman that was roughly his height walk up to him. She was wearing men's cowboy clothing and smoking a cigarette.

"Great way to improve relations," she said as she looked directly at him.

"They took my hat, I wasn't going to let them take anything else Ma'am," Brett said as he adjusted his hat.

"Name's Sue Sylvester, but most folk will call me Quick Pistol," she said holding out her hand for him to shake.

"Holy Hell, Quick Pistol, you're a woman?" Brett said in surprise as he shook her hand.

"I am, you really think a man is capable of being the fastest gun in the West?" Sue said with a smirk and superior tone.

"I didn't know what to expect,"

"Good answer, so, what do you want?"

"Information, I'm looking for Aaron Williamson, I'm told he fled here, I need to take him back to America,"

"That right?"

"Yeah,"

"And you came to me because?"

"Like I said, I'm looking for Aaron Williamson and was told you're the best for getting information," Brett said, "He started a new gang in the name of his late father Bill Williamson and Dutch Van der Linde after John Marston helped get rid of the gang,"

"Marston, heard of him, was friends with a good buddy of mine, Landon Ricketts, the poor bastard,"

"Look, I'm not like Ross, most in the Bureau hate him, Artie Abrams who is a good friend of mine proved that Ross was crooked, Agent Archer who used to work with Ross, helped us, but by the time we managed to get the details, Ross was already dead,"

"Good riddance I say, his body was found in the river not far from here,"

"I see, look, I need help, I need to catch Aaron Williamson before I find Marcus Dutch,"

"Aha,"

"I'm no government boy, hell I don't want to stay one, but to be free of my pa, I have to do this,"

"Good, I don't like them government types, too up their ass with their ideals of progress they wouldn't know how the real world really works if it bit them in the ass, too much about lining their pockets with gold than helping the common man,"

"I hear that,"

"You trying to be your own man, son?"

"Something like that, I don't really want to be no government boy, I don't, I just want to live, but, I need money,"

"That you do, well, tell you what, that friend of yours that taught you how to shoot well and fight, he here with you?"

"Yes he did and no he's currently in San Francisco City; he is getting married to his missus,"

"I see,"

"But he plans to come here in a couple of days,"

"Name?"

"Quinton Fabray, known as Lion Paws, said you were his mentor,"

"I was, Quinton, I remember him, good fighter, one of my bests, if ever I had a gang, he'd be leading it with me, or rather, he'd be my second in command, though I was disappointed that he lost a fight to that Buffalo fella,"

"That good?"

"Yes, so, you get a nickname?"

"Yeah, The Bison Bullet,"

"Well then Bullet,"

"Uh, it's Bison,"

"Bullet's better,"

"Yes Ma'am, I'll show you the ropes, but you should do some things around Mexico first, or at least in Nuevo Paradiso, okay, get some renown, and when people trust you more, the more likely they'll help you,"

"Thank you Ma'am,"

"I'll look around for information for you,"

"Again, thank you Ma'am,"

"Listen, there is a convent not far from here called Las Hermanas, go see them, they usually have a job or two for a person to do,"

"I shall,"

* * *

With that Brett took out his map and looked for Las Hermanas, the place was only an hour away by horse, so he unhitched Midnight and started making his way there.

When he arrived at the convent, he was greeted by a few of the Sisters there who were giving him the eye and laughing behind their hands, he heard some words like gorgeous, and gringo, but he didn't listen as he went into the Church looking for the Mother Superior.

He saw a woman praying at the altar.

He waited for her to finish.

When she was done, he could see that she was of African descent.

"Can I help you senor?" she asked in an American accent.

"Uh, hi, I'm Brett Pierce, I'm looking for whoever is in charge," Brett said.

"That would be me, I am Sister Mercedes, the Mother Superior of this convent,"

"Wow, so, are you from America?"

"Si, I was sent here on a Mission's Crusade, it has gone good,"

"Wow, anyway, like I said, I'm looking for work, you know, just to do something good while I wait for information," Brett said.

"I see, and you come here why?"

"I was told by Quick Pistol that you sometimes have jobs available,"

"Hmmm, depends on what you like doing,"

"I don't mind, I can herd animals, break a horse, fix things that need fixing, build, whatever you need,"

The woman thought for a moment before saying, "What about saving people?"

"Saving people? Like from prison? If this is political then I probably can't," Brett said.

"Not like that, the person you'd rescue would be the daughter of a politician, but he disowned her, she's currently a prostitute, I fear for her soul, her life, she's in danger, the man who has her is not a good man, I tried to help, but was laughed at,"

"Perhaps I should go help,"

"That would be wonderful, her name is Santana Lopez, daughter of a highly successful Politician here in Mexico, she was arranged to be married to a Russian rich man, David Karofsky, she refused to marry him, and from what I heard she was forced by a man named Jose Alcalde to become a whore because it was her only way to make money and survive, her father won't help her because she disgraced the family name," Sister Mercedes said as Brett had a sad look cross his face.

"Sorry to hear that," he said feeling pained for the girl.

"You want to prove that you are a good man, help her, find her, last I heard, she was at Casa Madrugada,"

"I'll do my best,"

* * *

Brett quickly saddled his horse and went on his way to Casa Marugada which was only fifteen minutes away.

When there he could see what the place was like. The small complex was more or less a gambling whore house.

Men, most of whom were soldiers were there to drink, gamble and sleep with the women who were there.

He hitched his horse as he carefully walked through the place.

"You want a good time gringo?" a woman asked as she walked up to him and touched his arm seductively.

"No, I'm looking for someone," he said.

"I can be whoever you want,"

"I'm looking for Santana Lopez,"

The woman stopped, "There is no such person here, leave gringo," and with that she walked away.

Brett sighed as another young woman walked up to him, "Are you here to help her?" she asked.

"Yes, why?" he asked.

"She's a whore,"

"So are you,"

"But not like her, I'm a free woman, I chose this trade, she did not, the man who has her hires her out, he is a bad man,"

"Why are you willing to help her?"

"Because she is a nice girl, but he broke her, please senor, please swear to me that you're here to save her not to use her,"

"I'm here to save her, I swear it,"

"A gracias senor, you are a good man, quickly around the back, Jose Alcalde usually has her back there,"

"Gracias Ma'am,"

She nodded her head as Brett walked around to the back of the complex.

When there he heard screaming coming from behind the building and he went to investigate, what he saw made his blood boil.

A man was beating a woman who was presumably a prostitute, who looked around his age, and was yelling at her. His anger making him yell in English and Spanish.

"You fucking bitch, you like being hit? Huh?" the man yelled.

"Please, stop, my Father," the woman started.

"You disgraced the name Lopez, your father won't even consider you shit on his shoes, you follando puta sucia, you aren't broken, huh? You want to be a feisty Latina again, huh?"

"No, no, please,"

But the man didn't listen to her as he hit her again and again as the woman screamed and cried as she held her arms over her head to try and protect herself.

"Hey, cut that out, leave the poor girl alone," Brett said angrily as he stormed up to the pair.

"What's it to you Gringo?" the man asked.

Brett knew now who he was, Jose Alcalde, son of Mario Alcalde who John Marston killed trying to save a woman named Eva (it was in one of the reports that Agent Archer had given him), looked like this was a case of exactly like Father like Son, though Brett hoped he didn't have to kill the asshole.

"Stop hitting the girl," he said to Jose.

Jose in turned sneered and kicked the woman hard, "Better?" he smirked.

Brett was tempted to pull out his Revolver and give the guy a third eye.

Jose Alcalde spat at the ground, "What? You want her? Huh, Gringo? I mean she's pretty clean, but she can be pretty dirty as well,"

He kicked her again as the woman whimpered on the floor.

"You wanna buy her?" he asked Brett.

"Please, no, you're an evil man," the woman said to Jose as he back handed her.

"Hey, stop that," Brett said angrily as he put his hand at his holster.

"You want to fuck her? Huh? Buy her?" Jose taunted, "That's $200, American,"

Brett scowled at him.

"You, no, please, Senor, save me from this evil man," the woman begged Brett.

"I'm not evil," Jose said as he faked lunged at her and made her cringe, "I'm just a cattle herder who can't afford the cow, you want her? Huh? You want this cow? Cowboy?"

Brett took out his money and threw it at Jose as he went and stood by the woman on the ground.

"Good business Gringo, and you, whore, what you gonna do now without me? Huh? You're nothing," he spat at her.

"I'll go somewhere safe, like Las Hermanas," was all the girl said.

"Now piss off asshole," Brett said, "Lest I give you a third eye,"

"You don't scare me gringo,"

And with that Brett hit the man really hard in the face twice, "If you go near her again, I'll put you six feet under, comprende amigo?"

"She's nothing without me," he spat as he walked away.

"She's better off without you," was all Brett said.

When Jose was gone, Brett went to help the woman up. She flinched at his touch.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm Brett Pierce, my friends call me Bison," he said as helped her up.

"I'm Santana Lopez, thank you for helping me," Santana said as she looked at him.

"I wasn't going to let some puto hurt a beautiful woman like you,"

"I am a whore, no one cares about us,"

"I do, a woman is still a woman to me and worth protecting, don't matter to me what her job is,"

"Am I yours now?"

"What?"

"You bought me, right?'

"No, I didn't buy you like that, you're not some woman to rent out, I bought your freedom,"

"I will repay you, we can find a room,"

"No, that's okay, just let me take you somewhere safe,"

"But you paid for me,"

"Like I said, I paid for your freedom,"

"But,"

"No buts,"

"However then,"

"Fine, just, give me a kiss and we'll call it even,"

"You want a kiss for $200?"

"A kiss from a beautiful woman like you is worth way more than that,"

"You are a strange man,"

"I have been told,"

Santana slowly shrugged her shoulders as she leaned up and kissed Brett's lips softly before she deepen the kiss with him.

When the kiss was done, Brett looked at her, "So, where to? Where will it be safe for you?" he asked.

"Las Hermanas, it's a convent," she said.

"You thinking of becoming a Sister?"

"No, but it's safe there,"

"Okay, I'll take you,"

Brett helped Santana onto his horse before climbing on behind her.

He made his horse take a small trot as he took her to Las Hermanas.

When they arrived, he helped her down, hitched his horse, and lead her inside.

"Oh, Mr Pierce, it's good to see you again," Sister Mercedes said.

"Thank you," he said as he brought Santana to her, "I found her, can you keep her safe here?"

"Oh, Santana Lopez, bless my stars, you are safe now, come, we'll get you cleaned and get you something to eat,"

Santana looked hesitant. She had heard that line before, and look how that turned out.

"You're safe here, as long as you stay with the Sisters," Brett whispered into her ear, "And I'll be back, to check on you, okay,"

Santana nodded as the Sisters lead her away.

"Look after her," he requested of Sister Mercedes.

"Of course I will," she said.

"Oh, and Sister, here, money for your convent, alms for the poor,"

Sister Mercedes looked at the $100 in her hand.

"Oh my word, that's, that's a generous donation," she exclaimed.

"Consider it a thank you, for looking after Miss Lopez," was all Brett said as he waved goodbye.

* * *

**AN 2: So, there you have it, an introduction to Santana Lopez, I will warn you though, she'll be a bit OOC, although, going what she went through it's not surprising.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **Fair **Warning** that this chapter contains a **trigger memory, abuse and an old medical procedure** and is **graphic** to a point.  
Other than that, I hope you will enjoy Chapter 7.

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

Over the next few days, Brett helped around the convent fixing things, it was mainly because he wanted to be around Santana, but he wasn't going to mention that.

The two hit it off well once she opened up a bit more.

"You are funny Senor," Santana said to him one day as the two were engaging in a game of chess.

Some of the Nuns walked passed them giggling and saying something that made Santana drop her smile and go quiet.

"Hey, don't listen to them okay," Brett said.

"Sorry, I just hear them mention words about me and my family, and I can't help but feel that I failed," Santana said.

"You didn't, okay, hey, want to take a ride with me?"

She looked at him.

"Okay that came out wrong, I meant go for ride on my horse with me, see the sunset," he explained.

"Okay, sounds good,"

He saddled up his horse as he took Santana with him.

They rode up a small hill behind the convent to watch the sunset.

"It's beautiful, I forgot what a beautiful place Mexico could be," Santana said as she leaned against Brett who had his arms softly around her waist, mainly to keep her safe on the horse.

Santana placed a hand softly on his arm and smiled.

Brett smiled too as he softly kissed her neck and felt her turn a bit so she could kiss him.

"Thank you for saving me," Santana said softly.

"Anytime," he said back as he pecked her lips, "C'mon, we better go back to the convent before Sister Mercedes thinks I'm being indecent,"

Santana just laughed.

* * *

Today before heading off to see Santana, Brett received a telegram saying that Quinton was going to arrive today at Chuparosa.

He was happy about that.

As he impatiently waited for the train to pull in he waved at Quinton who waved back.

"Paws, it's good to see you again my friend," Brett said with a smile.

Quinton hugged his friend a hello, "Well, it's good to be here in Me-he-co, and look, Rachel decided to accompany me too,"

Rachel waved a hello as Brett took her hand and kissed it.

"Pleasure to see you again Ma'am," he said to her.

"Hey, like I said last time, off my woman," Quinton teased.

"What brings you with him?" Brett asked Rachel.

"I had to make sure you two stayed out of trouble, never know with him sometimes," Rachel answered with a smile.

"Wow, your woman is too smart,"

"Quick and smart, I can't get away with anything," Quinton joked as Rachel smacked his arm lightly then kissed his cheek, "So, any word?"

"Nope, but Quick Pistol is looking into it for me, so I've been doing odd jobs, I'm hearing things here and there, Williamson is definitely here in Nuevo Paradiso, as to where, no one knows yet,"

"Ah,"

"Quinn, can we go inside, it's really hot," Rachel asked as she took her husband's hand.

"Sure thing," Quinton said with a grin as the three entered the pub that had rooms in the back, "Wish you could have been there Bison, it was a good Wedding,"

"Me too, but my Pa said I had to get here," Brett said as he ordered a drink for Quinton, Rachel and him.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my young protégé, Quinton Fabray, how are you doing?" Sue asked as she walked up Quinton and shook his hand, "And who is this short stacked person?"

"My wife, Ma'am," Quinton answered.

"Not a bad job,"

As the day wore on, Quinton found himself looking after a couple of the ill peasants who lived in Chuparosa as Rachel and Brett assisted him.

"So Bullet, I'd like to talk to you," Sue said eventually.

"Yes Ma'am," Brett said as he walked up to her.

"I have news for you, Aaron Williamson has holed himself up in El Presidio, it's an old army fort from the revolution a few years back, he's got a lot of backup but I'm sure you can manage,"

"I'll go with you," Quinton said.

"Quinn?" Rachel started.

"I'll be okay, I promise,"

"But I,"

"Rachel, I'll be okay,"

Rachel just nodded her head.

"How long do you think he'll be holed up there for?" Brett asked.

"Seems like he's been there quite a while, he's not going anywhere, why?" Sue answered.

"I have to go say bye to someone first,"

"If you're talking about the whore daughter of Mexico, you have another thing coming,"

Brett paused.

"You fell for her, didn't you?" Sue said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Brett answered.

"Oh come off it boy I've seen those eyes before, you're in love with her, why else would you go and say goodbye,"

Brett didn't say anything, "I'll be back Paws, I have to say goodbye to her,"

With that he saddled up and rode off to Las Hermanas.

* * *

When he got there, he saw the doors were opened and there were women sobbing.

He jumped off his horse quickly and ran in.

"Santana?" he called out.

"Mr Pierce, hurry, to Sepulcro, I think that's where the man was heading, he's going to kill her, please, hurry," one of the sisters said.

"What man?" he asked.

"Jose Alcalde, he's going to kill her, please señor, he's already shot our Mother Superior,"

"Oh no, do you have a carriage here?"

"Yes señor,"

"Take her to Chuparosa, a man named Quinton Fabray is there, he will look after her, he's a doctor,"

"Okay Senor, hurry, save Santana,"

Brett raced with his horse to the cemetery that was just up from the convent. He prayed for the first time in years that Santana was okay, that she was alive.

He heard screaming coming from the cemetery as he pulled out his pistol and shot at Jose's hand before the man could deliver the killing blow at Santana's head.

"Ow, fuck," Jose yelled angrily as Brett jumped off his horse and stood in front of Santana who was curled against a headstone. Bleeding and bruised. Badly.

"I told you I'd kill you if you went hear her again," he spat.

"What's it to you Gringo?" Jose said angrily, clutching his left hand.

"I bought her off you, she's free," Brett said angrily.

"A good whore never leaves man, and this one here, this follando puta sucia, she's very good at what she does,"

"Then why are you trying to kill her?"

"Hey, I got rage, it's how we do it here in Mexico, a woman disobeys a man, we beat her good, no one cares if it gets out of hand,"

"You're a bunch of savages then,"

"Hey, you have no right to dishonour Mexico,"

"You dishonour Mexico, treating a woman like you do,"

"Oh, you wanna fight for her honour then? Huh?"

"Matter of fact I do,"

"She's just a whore, man, she's just a god dang, filthy, whore,"

"You keep telling yourself that,"

"When I'm done with you, I'll strip you naked and tie your corpse to a tree,"

"When I'm done, I'm taking my money back, plus some, and I'm taking Santana with me and saving her from a puto like you,"

"She's a fucking whore,"

"Whatever,"

"We settle this huh, I win, you are either dead or you turn and walk away gringo,"

"And if I win?"

"You won't,"

"If I win, Santana Lopez is mine and is free from you, comprende,"

"Sure, if that is what you want, you're not going to win gringo,"

"We'll see about that,"

The two men stared each other down.

Hands steady and fingers itching to go.

Jose made a move, but Brett flashed faster and pulled out his gun and shot Jose's hand, disarming him.

Jose howled in pain.

"Now you leave Santana Lopez alone, she's mine now, my woman, you come near her again, I'll kill you and you can entertain Satan in hell," Brett hissed.

"Puto, you fucking gringo, I'll kill you," Jose yelled

"Yeah, whatever,"

Brett walked towards Santana to help her up, not realising that Jose was going to shoot him in the back.

"Brett," Santana yelled as she pointed at Jose.

Brett turned around in time and shot Jose in the head.

He looked down at Jose's corpse as he shot it again just for good measure and then spat on it, before he retrieved his money as well as extra.

"I hope you're enjoying hell, you maldito bastardo," he said.

He then looked at Santana and walked over to her and reached out to touch her shoulder.

Santana cringed.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly.

Santana just shivered.

"C'mon, I'll take you to see a Doctor friend of mine, you're going to be okay, mi belleza," he said.

"I thought I was going to die," she cried as he held her.

"Hey, shh, he'll never hurt you or any other woman again, shh, I've got you Sanny, I've always got you,"

* * *

Brett rode up to Chuparosa and saw Quinton exited a building.

"Bison, hey, your Mother Superior friend will be okay, just shock from the bullet shot, but I got it out, she's healing," he said to her.

"That's great, Paws, help me," he begged.

"What's wrong?"

Brett jumped off his horse and helped Santana down.

"Can you help her, Paws?" Brett asked in desperation.

"I can do my best," Quinton said as he looked Santana over, "Damn she's busted up bad,"

Inside the make-shift hospital room, the Nuns were seen praying outside a bedroom door as Brett followed Quinton while carrying Santana in his arms.

When they got to the room, Quinton had Brett strip her down and softly clean her the best he could so that Quinton could examine her injuries better.

"This is not good at all," he said.

"But you can fix her right?" Brett asked as Santana grasped onto his hands, she had been in a situation like this before.  
A memory was going through her head of the men who had beat her before they raped her, she was terrified as that memory went streaming through her mind.

Sensing her fear, Brett held her hand tighter and said to her, "San, it's me, it's Brett, this is Paws, we won't hurt you, I promise mi belleza,"

"Don't let them hurt me," she begged him.

"He will save you,"

"Brett, help me,"

"Hey, I'm here for you, okay, I'm right here Sanny,"

"She's going into shock, dammit, I need to find something first," Quinton said as he looked into his medical bag.

"Sanny, I'm right here okay, you're going to be okay,"

"SHIT," Quinton yelled.

"What is it?" Brett asked.

"I don't have any anaesthesia left,"

"Why do you need it?"

"You see the swelling there, on her arms, legs and abdomen?"

"Yeah,"

"If I don't cut into those, she will die from shock and pain, soon,"

"Then can't we let her sleep?"

"It may take too long, and it may not work that way, she may wake up in the middle of it and be in more stress, the anaesthesia would make sure she felt nothing, if I don't do this now, she'll die before we get back to the U.S. to treat her, but if we do it now, she will be in a lot of pain,"

"I, but,"

"It is the only way, I'm really sorry Bison,"

"Can you tell her, please,"

"Santana, listen to me, okay," Quinton said as the Latina looked at him, "You have compartment syndrome, swellings on your arms, legs and abdomen, I need to cut into them now before I can stitch you up, or you will die, but I don't have any anaesthesia, so you will feel everything, and it will hurt like hell, do you understand?"

Santana just nodded.

"I need to strap you down onto the bed to stop you from moving, okay, and I need to cut into them, if we took you back to the U.S., you could die within that time, so we need to treat you now, okay,"

"America's not that far away, right?" Santana asked.

"No, about a two to three day journey on horseback or carriage, but, I can't risk you being jolted, I'm sorry,"

"Brett?" Santana started.

"Brett will have to go outside," Quinton said.

"Why?"

"I know how he will react to you being hurt, please trust me, this is hard enough for me,"

"Brett?"

"Paws, please, I have to stay here with her," Brett begged.

"I'm sorry Bison, but you may make it worse, one of the Nuns used to be a nurse, I'll get her to help me,"

Brett was ushered outside as one of the Nuns walked in.

Rachel sat down next to Brett and held his hand.

* * *

Inside the room, the Nun and Quinton strapped Santana down so she wouldn't move as Quinton put on his doctor's apron and took out a scalpel.

The Nun whispered comforting words softly to Santana, trying to keep her calm as they put a towel in her mouth.

"This is to stop you from damaging your teeth, okay," Quinton said as Santana nodded her head, tears falling from her face as she knew what was about to happen.

"I'm so sorry Santana," he said as he started cutting through the swelling and Santana let out a scream in agony as the Nun helped hold her down. The cloth fell from her face.

"NO PLEASE," Santana screamed as Quinton felt a tear fall.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but this can help save you," he tried to say as he cut another one.

Santana screamed again as she tried to move, but couldn't.

"NO, PLEASE, STOP, I SWEAR I'LL DO ANYTHING, PLEASE," Santana screamed and cried as the pain tore through her body.

"I'm so sorry," Quinton said as he did his job.

* * *

Outside of the room, Brett had his head in his hands as Rachel patted his back.

"NOOOO, PLEASE, STOP IT," he heard Santana scream, he wanted to move, but Rachel held him back.

"Trust that Quinn knows what he's doing," she said softly to him.

"I do, it's just, she's hurt, and she's scared, and I, I need to protect her,"

"You could do more damage if you go in now and distract him,"

"I know, it's just, she's so scared,"

"She'll be okay,"

Santana's screaming was echoed through the floor before all of a sudden it just stopped and an eerie silence took over as Brett feared that the worst had happened.

* * *

**AN 2:** I apologise for the bad Spanish in this chapter as well.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: **So, the Spanish may seem slightly better in this chapter, however, I'm still not sure how accurate it is, I'm using a different site for the translations - it seems legit and good. But you can never be sure. (I apologise if it still sucks).  
The translations of the what they're saying is right next to the sentence as I didn't want to put it all the way at the bottom.

Also, just a heads up, I've decided to make it that Brett can actually speak Spanish. (I can't remember if I made that clear or not before).

I also apologise for the certain inaccuracies that may be there when mentioning what people wear.

**Enjoy Chapter 8.**

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

Quinton emerged from the room, his hands bloodied, as was his doctors apron. He looked upset as he wiped his hands clean.

"Paws?" Brett started.

"She's fine she blacked out from the pain, so her body made her sleep, I just had to do some stitches, and cut a couple of blood swells that were on her body, and I will give her some painkillers for the pain when she wakes up, but for now we'll let her sleep, Quinton said, "I'm sorry I had to hurt her, but,"

"It was necessary, I know, thank you,"

Quinton just nodded his head as he washed his hands, Rachel kissed his forehead.

"She will be okay, you need to trust that," she whispered.

"I know, but she is so hurt, physically and emotionally, I can see it," Quinton said.

"And Brett will be there for her,"

"That I will be," Brett said as he went into the room to see Santana, who was now sleeping the pain away.

That evening as the three were sitting at the table eating dinner, Rachel had to make an announcement.

"I received a telegram from Jesse, I have to return to San Francisco to perform, so, I will leave tomorrow, give Santana my best wishes," Rachel said.

"How about you Paws?" Brett asked.

"I, uh," Quinton started.

"You have work to do here, be the doctor you trained to be," Rachel said as she placed a hand on Quinton's face.

"What about you?"

"I will be fine, okay, I'll send a telegram to you the moment I arrive, I promise,"

"Okay,"

"Besides you promised Brett you'd help him at El Presidio, you can't back out now, you have to keep your word,"

"You are my wife, you're more important to me than my word,"

"I know, and I love you for it, but I think Brett will need you here more than I need you in San Francisco, he's like your little brother, you can't bail on him now,"

"Thank you Rachel," Brett said as he looked at her gratefully.

Rachel nodded her head before saying, "Right, I better go to bed, don't stay up too long," she said as she bid Brett goodnight and kissed Quinton's lips.

"But I'm already up," Quinton smirked as she threw him a mischievous glint.

"She gave you that look," Brett said.

"She did brother, I'm gonna go, and you know, do things,"

"Sure thing brother, hey, what about Santana?"

"Like I said, we'll let her sleep and in a few weeks, we can remove her stitches,"

"Few weeks?"

"Yeah, I don't want to take them out too early, you will need to bath her, keep them dry though, look after her,"

"I will,"

And with that Quinton disappeared to see Rachel, who actually was waiting for him on the bed rather seductively.

* * *

When the sun rose the next day, Quinton and Rachel were still asleep embracing each other and naked on the bed in their room; and Brett was asleep on the bed next to Santana, holding her gently in his arms.

Santana was actually the one to wake up first.

She panicked a bit when she saw an arm wrapped around her waist but relaxed when she realised it was Brett, who was still asleep and shirtless, not that she saw much as he was curled up against her under the blankets.

He was good looking, she had to admit that, and the care he gave her was something she hadn't seen in a long time from anyone.

She wanted to move, but was still in a bit of pain as she groaned.

Brett woke and looked at her.

"Hey, good morning," he said as he softly touched her face with his hand.

"Brett," she said, but her voice was hoarse.

Brett got up and got her some water.

It was then that Santana noticed that he had completely stripped down and was in his drawers which hung loosely around his waist.

His muscles were more defined as he moved around to get her some water.

"Here, some water," he said as he helped her sit up and gave her the glass.

She nodded her head a thank you as she looked at him.

"I'm sorry I assumed, but I didn't want to leave you alone," he said, "And it's hot here in Mexico, how do you deal with this heat?"

"You get used to it," was all she said.

"Hey, um, Paws told me that I have to keep you clean and try not get the stitches wet, are you okay with that?" he asked as she nodded her head.

He smiled as he looked around the corner before he picked her up and carried her to the wash tub. Hurrying so people wouldn't see the two of them.

He didn't care so much if people saw him in his undergarments, but Santana was still completely naked.

When they got to the bathroom that was closest to them, Brett put her carefully in the tub and went off to find warm water and a bucket.

Santana sat in the empty wash tub, her knees up to her chest as she saw Brett walking back towards her with a bucket of warm water, a bar of soap and some towels.

She flinched as he started to softly wash her body. Feeling vulnerable and ugly.

"Eres una mujer bonita," he whispered to her as he placed a finger under her chin. (You're a beautiful woman).

Brett leaned in and kissed Santana softly on her lips.

"Gracias," she said to him. (Thank you).

"It has been my pleasure,"

She kissed him again, deeper as he gently drew her into his arms as her arms circled his neck, and her hands ran through his hair.

"Hmmm," he groaned as her tongue played across his teeth and then with his, "We should, stop,"

"Why?" Santana whispered.

"You are recovering, and I don't want to hurt you,"

"That's never stopped most men before,"

"I'm not most men,"

Santana just looked at him as she leaned her forehead against his.

"I uh, don't wanna, you know, touch you there, but I, you know, have to, clean, well," Brett stuttered as Santana looked at him with a confused yet amused face then realised what he meant.

"I can take care of that," she whispered as she took the cloth from his hand and scrubbed herself.

"Good, I uh, hmm," he stuttered again and looked away.

Santana smiled as she dipped the cloth back into the bucket looked back at him and touched his arm.

Brett smiled as he dried her as needed before lifting her carefully out of the tub and carrying her back to their room as he lay her on the bed.

He kissed her lips and then her neck as he trailed soft kisses down her body to her stomach.

Santana stiffened a bit, worried that he was going to have his way with her.

It wasn't because she didn't want it, but her body was healing and she knew if they did anything more, she would rip her stitches.

But Brett stopped as he wrapped his arms around her thighs and rested his head next to her hip.

"Tan hermoso," she heard him whisper as he fell asleep again. (So beautiful).

She ran her fingers through his hair as she looked down at him.

* * *

"Get up you worthless lazy louts," Sue could be heard yelling as she banged on Quinton and Rachel's door before going to Santana's room and banging on the door, "Brett, get your ass out here, I don't care if you're screwing the girl or not, out, we have a job to do at El Presidio,"

Brett groaned as he slowly got up and put his pants back on, "Dang, I left my chaps in the other room," he sighed as he put on his shirt on on top of his undershirt.

"You won't need chaps here, there is not a lot of brush or things like that on the way to El Presidio," Santana said.

"But just in case,"

"Okay, I have to ask, you don't wear long johns?"

"It's too hot,"

"The denim?"

"Good at the digs, but cotton is better when riding, more breathing,"

Santana looked at him.

"You want to talk more than about clothing, what's wrong?" he asked her as he sat down.

"You're going to El Presidio, everyone here knows that it's a dangerous place, I don't want you to go, I want you to stay here with me," she said as she took his hand.

"I have to bring a man to justice, I'll be safe, I promise,"

Santana just wrapped her arms around his waist as he kissed the top of her head.

When he left, he saw Quinton outside saying goodbye to Rachel with a kiss as the couple embraced before Rachel boarded the train and waved goodbye as the train left. (She had almost missed it because the two were so peaceful together, asleep in the bed).

"Hey Paws," he said to Quinton as he dipped his hat at Sue.

"Hey Bison, just saying bye to the Missus, will be seeing her eventually," Quinton said as he watched the train disappear from view.

"Enough with the wuss moments, we have to go, Williamson is apparently thinking of moving, we have to go, now," Sue said.

"Us and what army?" Brett asked.

"Brother, we don't need an army," Quinton said, "We have Pistol,"

With that, they mounted their horses and set out at a gallop.

Once there, the three snuck in trying to find Aaron Williamson, but he was nowhere to be seen.

As they were getting out, someone spotted them and the shooting began.

Brett dove for cover as he peeked every so often to get in the shots to disarm and injure.

The fight at El Presidio didn't take too long.

Sue was living up to her nickname as she disposed of some of the men quickly.

Quinton was off on the other side disarming a lot of the men, opting not to kill them.

One man was trying to get away on a horse so Brett ran after him and shot him off his horse, managing to not kill him.

When the fire fight ended and the smoke and dust cleared, everyone that was against the three were down, either dead or were injured.

Brett dragged the man who was still alive towards Sue and Quinton.

"Where's Williamson?" he asked nicely.

"No hablo su cerdo del americano de la lengua del diablo," the man spat at him. (I don't speak your devil language American pig).

"¿dónde está Williamson?" Brett asked angrily. (Where is Williamson?).

"No sé, y si hiciera, no le diría el cerdo" (I don't know, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you).

Brett glared at him.

"You will never find him gringo," the man spat in English, "Go back to your puta de mierda," ('fucking whore' or 'stupid whore').

Brett saw red as he said angrily back, "No hable nunca de ella como eso otra vez o le mataré pendejo," (Don't ever talk about her like that again or I will kill you asshole).

He punched the man hard in the face and hogtied him.

Brett heard a motorcar arrive as he turned to look up, ready for anything.

"Hello son," the man said as he got out of his car.

Except for his father.

"How'd you know I was here Pa?" he asked as he looked at the man.

"Your friend Pistol sent a telegram yesterday, figured we'd be here to pick up Williamson, oh and here is some real medicine from America," his father said as he gave Brett the bag of medical supplies.

"Williamson isn't here, but this useless prick might know where, you can take him with you,"

"Well, well, well, you actually caught his Mexican associate, I'd be proud, but you didn't deliver Williamson," his father said as Quinton looked like he wanted to murder the man for saying that to Brett, what man could not be proud of his son?  
Mind you, Quinton's family were the same towards him, so he left it.  
He'd praise Brett after when his asshole for a father left. Probably was nothing more than a pencil pusher anyway, leaving the hard work to other men while he could come in and take the glory for himself.

"I will get him Pa," Brett said in a sure tone as he crossed his arms.

"You better, will see you son,"

"Pa, wait, if I deliver Williamson to you, I need a favour for it, but you need to do it now,"

"What is it son?"

Brett went over and whispered what it was to his father, who looked surprised, but nodded his head anyway as he disappeared.

* * *

Going back to Chuparosa was good for Brett, he couldn't wait to see Santana.

When the three arrived back, Sue went to play poker, Quinton went to attend to the other people who needed his help.

Brett found Santana reading in her room, as he entered he stripped again as he sat down on the bed next to her and sighed. His back against the headboard.

"You're bruised," she said as she put her book down and leaned against him.

"Yeah, nothing bad, Williamson wasn't there, so, I'll be staying longer," he said.

"I'm glad, I like you here,"

"I like being with you,"

Santana gave a small smile.

"Um, Sanny," he started.

"Yes," she said back.

"I, can you tell me your story? Please,"

She paused for a moment as she curled up more against him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Brett put a comforting arm around her shoulders and rubbed her shoulder gently with his thumb.

"My story, it isn't that great," Santana said.

"Your English, I must say is very good," he commented.

"My Father sent me to study in America when I was young, I had to learn,"

"I see,"

"You must understand Senor Pierce,"

"Brett,"

"Brett, you must understand, my Father is a very wealthy man, from a very wealthy family, he came here from Colombia many years ago, and he has been trying to make his way up the ranks since, all he had left was to be in the good graces of the new General Jactancia, his way of doing that was to make me marry him, but I refused,"

"I thought you were going to marry that Karofsky man,"

"Let me tell you,"

"Sorry,"

"It's okay, anyway, I ran away, the General, he wanted a virgin wife, they were going to check me, so, I thought, perhaps if I lose what he wanted, I didn't have to marry him, I met Karofsky, he's a gringo, like you, but he pretended to be Russian, he is from a wealthy family though,"

"Ah,"

"He and I, we slept together, he had his reasons, I had mine, my Father found out, he yelled, got angry, but then, he thought I could marry Karofsky, so I left, and since then, I was left on my own, a lot of men, they will pay good money to say they fucked the soon to be new Leader of Mexico's daughter, even if she is disowned,"

"I'm sorry, S,"

"I learnt to be tough, I fought for what I had, but eventually, Jose broke me, and I can't anymore,"

"Yes you can, and I will help you,"

"How long do you plan to stay in Mexico?"

"For as long as needed, I have to catch Aaron Williamson, so, I could be here a while, but, I figured, with the trains up and running, I may go backwards and forwards between Mexico and California,"

"That will take months,"

"Well, it depends, it's not that far to California, and Blackwater isn't that far either by train, anyway, I'm stuck here for a bit, but America is only over a few days ride over the border,"

"I don't want you to leave me,"

"And hopefully I won't have to,"


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: **Just to let you know, I don't think I ever stated what year this was based in.

Now the Red Dead Redemption World is set in about 1911, unfortunately for me and my silly mind as I started writing, I forgot to factor in that the Gold Rush was from about 1848-1855, so yes, it's not quite accurate to the game - but we will pretend that what happened in Red Dead Redemption happened about fifty-odd years earlier;  
as this story is supposed to take place a year after Jack Marston kills Ross. (For those who know what I mean - with regards to the game).  
Sorry about that.  
And yes I do mention Texas, which became a state (according to the online source) in 1845 - so I'm safe mentioning it. Lol.

Enjoy Chapter 9.

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

Today Santana was getting her stitches out. She healed remarkably well and was already up and about helping Brett when he everywhere in the small town fixing things or breaking horses.  
Brett was also busy getting annoyed telegrams from his Father about his inadequacy of finding Williamson, Quinton had just returned from being a few days in San Francisco with Rachel. So this gave the two a bit more personal time, with Sue of course adding odd quips here and there telling Brett that he's too soft to be a cowboy.

Currently Brett held Santana's hand as Quinton removed her stitches.

After that, he bandaged up her wounds as needed.

"Okay, keep them clean, and you should be healed up in no time," Quinton said with a smile.

"Thank you," Santana said as she moved into Brett's arms.

"No problem,"

"Hey, I just want to go take a nap, I'm tired," Santana said.

"Sure, I'll be there soon," Brett said as he kissed her cheek making her smile.

When she left the room Quinton looked at Brett with a smirk, "So, you two uh, riding together now?" he asked.

"No, not yet, I want to, she's a damn fine woman, but I couldn't," Brett said.

"Ah, I see,"

"You know, emotional scars and all that, plus sometimes she still wakes up screaming,"

"It's fair enough brother, you don't have to explain yourself,"

"Right,"

"So meat bags, you're here," Sue said as she came in and sat down on a chair.

"Hi Pistol," Quinton said as Brett waved.

"Aaron Williamson were spotted in Escalera, we can catch them there, the Mexican Police won't be able to hold them there for long," Sue said to Brett.

"The police are involved?" Brett asked.

"Nope, they're just pretending to celebrate with Williamson and a couple of his men, they may help us later, but I doubt it,"

"I see, well, let's saddle up then,"

"Good let's go,"

"Sure," Brett said as he got up, "I uh, just have to go say bye,"

Sue shook her head as Quinton laughed.

Brett walked into the bedroom to see Santana dozing. He sat down and kissed her shoulder.

"Sanny, they found him, so I have to go do my job," Brett said, "But I will be back for you, I promise,"

Santana stirred a bit but didn't waken as Brett pressed a kiss softly on her lips.

Once he was ready to go, Brett saddled his horse and the three took off towards Escalera.

Brett had a bit on his mind, now that he was catching Williamson he didn't have a reason to stay in Mexico, there was no work for him there, not really.

And he still had to return to the states to catch Dutch.

Crap.

He wanted to be with Santana, more than anything else. And he wasn't sure what to do, I mean, there was no guarantee she'd want to stay with him now that she's somewhat better.

* * *

At Escalera the three hitched their horses and walked in nonchalant.

The locals who were there looked at them, but didn't say much.

Brett looked up and saw a compound that was surrounded by walls.

"Williamson is inside that building, so, we're going to have to find a way in and then shoot 'em up," Sue said.

"Okay," Brett said, "Well, what will we do, it's not like we can just waltz in,"

"And it seems like the cops are out here and don't plan on helping," Quinton added.

Sue smirked as she walked towards a couple of the locals, "¿Hola, si le pagué veinte pesos, nos tomará en esa área allá arriba escondida debajo del heno?" (Hello, if I paid you twenty peso's, will you take us into that area up there hidden underneath the hay?)

The man looked hesitant, "La gente en hay gente mala, no quiero morir" (The people in there are bad people, I don't want to die).

"Sólo recoja el carro y diga que lo dejará para el muchacho estable para cuidar de él e ir, le daremos su dinero después de que nuestro trabajo se haga," (Just take the wagon in and say you'll leave it for the stable boy to look after it and go, we will give you your money after our job is done).

The man hesitated again before finally saying, "Bien, lo haré, pero lo haré treinta pesos, tengo una familia para alimentarme," (Okay, I'll do it, but make it thirty peso, I have a family to feed).

"Good man," Sue said in English as she shook his hand.

Twenty minutes later the three were hidden underneath the hay and were taken into the complex.

Brett felt itchy, he had hay caught in his shirt and was tempted to move but knew he couldn't.

When night fell the three climbed out of the hay, Brett was happy to be free of the wagon, never again, he hoped.

Inside the house of the compound they heard men laughing.

"That's him," Brett said as he looked through the window.

By the time they managed to creep into the house, Aaron Williamson was sitting on his own in the Dining Room drinking, completely unaware that his men had been hogtied and gagged.

Brett went in and put his pistol against his back, "Don't move, don't scream, you're under arrest Williamson," Brett said, "Now get up,"

Williamson got up and smirked, "You think you can take me boy? What are you anyway?"

"Doesn't matter,"

Williamson grabbed a knife quickly and swung at Brett and cut him across the chest.

"Shit," Brett said as he put a hand onto his bloodied chest.

"You won't take me," Williamson said as he lunged.

Brett rolled out of the way and shot at Williamson's leg.

"Damn it you bastard," he yelled and took out a small pistol and shot Brett in the shoulder.

Brett yelped in pain.

The gun shot alerted the people who weren't yet tied and a gun battle took place, Brett shot most of them, Sue and Quinton shot the others, again, Sue killed the ones she shot as Quinton and Brett just injured them enough so they couldn't move.

When it ceased, Aaron Williamson was breathing hard on the floor, he knew he was going to die.

"Shoot me then you fucker," he gritted out.

"You might put him out of his misery of the gallows," Sue said.

"No, I'm tying him up and he can go to my Father, I need him alive," Brett said.

"Why?"

"My own reasons,"

Brett hogtied the man up and dragged him out of the complex. He let out an annoyed sigh as he realised his Father was there waiting for him.

"Hi Pa," he said.

"Son, you got him," his Father said.

"Told you I would,"

"Good,"

"No need to be worried about me bleeding or nothing,"

"You're breathing, I don't need to worry,"

"Sure, there are other men in there, you can take them with you,"

"Good thing I brought the paddy wagon then,"

"Yeah,"

"You did good, son," His father said as he looked at Brett.

"Thank you, Pa," Brett said.

"You uh, you coming back to the U.S. now,"

"You have the paper work I requested?"

"Yes, done and done, hope it was worth it,"

"It will be,"

"Okay then,"

"I'll be going to California to the town of McKinley, I was thinking I might consider making it a lawful town, of sorts, you know, bringing in a law book, my friends from there will help me,"

"Thinking of becoming a Sheriff?"

"Something like that Pa,"

"Well, if you need help,"

"I know, thank you,"

"You made me proud son, you became your own man, now tell me, is it true?"

"What, Pa?"

"That you have a nickname now?"

"Yes, it's The Bison Bullet,"

"Terrifying,"

"I can be,"

"Good man, I'll see you back at Blackwater sometime,"

"Will do Pa,"

"The trains are up and running, and if you're done with living in Ohio or thinking of New York,"

"I never planned on going back, and New York had a ship that was took me to California, this was before the rails were up and running,"

"Ah, good, California's a good place, and you won't have to travel far to get to Blackwater,"

"Why'd ya move?"

"Government needed me too, and from what I heard, Dutch and his boys moved from Tall Trees in Colorado, too cold or something like that, but they're coming to California, so,"

"I get it,"

"Oh, and son,"

"Yes,"

"Get them wounds looked at, can't have you dying on me now, will be in touch about Dutch,"

Brett smirked as he watched his Dad drive away.

* * *

The ride back to Chuparosa was hard, his body hurt from the fight, he had bruises, Quinton had offered to look at his wounds there, but Brett figured it'd be better back at the inn so he could bath and relax.

Once there, Sue decided she was going to play poker and get some action.

"She can do that?" Brett asked Quinton.

"Yeah, didn't you know that she has a partner here?" Quinton said.

"No, I mean, I never saw him,"

"Her,"

"Her? Really?"

"Yeah, sweet Latina woman too,"

"Latina's are wonderful,"

Quinton laughed, "C'mon brother, let me look after your wounds,"

As Quinton cleaned Brett's wounds, and much cursing coming from the taller blonde as the medicine cleaned and stung his cut across his chest, and as Quinton took out the bullet lodged in his shoulder and stitched him up, Santana was just outside after hearing him scream in pain, not that he knew that.

"You're lucky Bison, man gave you a clean cut, it's not deep enough to need stitching, but you'll need these bandages, okay, as for your shoulder, keep it clean and don't get it too wet," Quinton said.

"I can still move it, now that that bullet is out, I'm fine, is it okay for me to still do things?" Brett asked.

"Yeah should be fine, rest it for now, I'll put it in a sling and if you wanna do work, do it, but if it starts to hurt, stop doing whatever the hell it is you're doing,"

"Shall do,"

"Right, you're done, I'm going to hit the sack, one of the guys hit me in the back while aiming for my head, got a bruise the size of Texas, so I'm calling it a night,"

"Sure thing brother,"

Brett buttoned up his shirt as he got up.

Santana heard him get up as she walked quickly back to her room and waited for him.

She felt scared and angry, especially now learning that he got injured at the same time, so she waited.

Brett walked into the room unaware of how she was feeling.

"Oh, hi, you're up," he said as he looked at her.

Santana looked at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Still she said nothing.

"Bonita?" he asked, and that's when she let it go.

"Cómo le podría ir ahí y no decirme, tan me preocupé y ahora oigo que se ha pegado un tiro y se ha cortado abierto," she yelled at him. (How could you go out there and not tell me, I was so worried and now I hear that you've been shot and cut open).

"Santana, lo siento, pero usted estaba dormido y necesité ir de otra manera yo nunca lo cogería," he said back to her (Santana, I'm sorry, but you were asleep and I needed to go otherwise I'd never catch him).

"Lo siento? Siente, Brett, tan me asusté que me había abandonado, solo, no sabía donde era, creía que me abandonó absolutamente solo," (Sorry? You're sorry, Brett, I was so scared that you had left me, alone, I didn't know where you were, I thought you left me all alone).

As a bit more understanding crossed his face, Brett sat down next to her on the bed as he pulled her into a hug.

Santana unbuttoned his shirt and made him take it off as she softly touched his chest and kissed it, "Tan me asusté que no volvía, y luego oía que se hirió, no le puedo perder Brett," (I was so scared that you weren't coming back, and then hearing you got injured, I can't lose you Brett).

"Hey, hey, shh," Brett said in a comforting tone, "Hey, you won't lose me, okay,"

"But what if I do?" she asked as she put a hand on his face.

Brett leaned in and kissed her, "You won't,"

"But you're finished now, you don't have a reason to stay in Mexico,"

"Yes I do, you, I would stay for you,"

"Brett,"

"Come with me to the U.S., you can have a new life there, with me," Brett said as he placed a hand on Santana's face.

"Why?" Santana asked.

"Because I want you too, because I'd like you to be with me,"

"But I am broken,"

"You are beautiful,"

"You can't fix me,"

"I don't plan too,"

"I'm not an American,"

"My Father is a government man, I asked him to make you an American a few weeks ago,"

"Why do you want me so much?"

"Because I care about you, and I want you to come with me and have a better life that you know you won't get here,"

"Is that all?"

"No, I also want to be with you,"

Santana hugged him tightly and cried as Brett caressed her back and kissed the top of her head.

"Quiero estar con usted, pero tengo miedo de las conversaciones y las miradas," she said to him. (I want to be with you, but I'm afraid of the talks and the looks).

"No importa lo que otra gente piensa, lo que importa es lo que piensa, lo que quiere," Brett said back. (It doesn't matter what other people think, what matters is what you think, what you want).

"Pero la gente todavía hablará de mí a mis espaldas, pero de todos modos tengo que reconocer que le amo y no quiero estar con alguien más, sólo usted, por favor, por favor diga que me ama atrás," (But people will still talk about me behind my back, but still I have to accept that I love you and I don't want to be with anyone else, just you, please, please say you love me back).

Brett paused as he stopped caressing her back and pulled back to look at her.

"Brett?" she started but he stopped her as he kissed her lips deeply.

"Te amo, más que mí he amado nunca cualquier persona, y le conozco amor imitación, por debajo todo el esto," he said to her as he softly touched her face. (I love you, more than I've ever loved anyone, and I know you love me too, underneath all this).

"¿Realmente?" (Really?)

"Sí, y debido a esto, sé, que todo va a ser bien," (Yes, and because of that, I know, that everything is going to be okay).

He felt Santana relax into his arms as she sighed.

He kissed the top of her head as he felt her kiss his chest softly as he smiled. He felt happy. Santana was coming back with him.

And as the two fell into a peaceful slumber, Santana, for the first time in a long time, felt safe and comforted in the arms of a man.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

The trip back to McKinley was a bit boring, though Santana was enjoying the view.

They had arrived in Blackwater and decided to stay the night at the Hotel and Bar there.

"So, this is America," Brett said as he took Santana's hand.

"Young man do you want to be saved?" a man said approaching him.

"Saved from what?"

"Eternal damnation, son,"

"I'm Protestant, Dutch Reform if you wanted to get specific, I think I'm fine,"

"Dutch Reform? Huh, could have fooled me son, you're holding onto that Native's hand like there's no tomorrow, don't cha know that that is not proper if you're not married, besides, you're not s'pose to be unevenly yoked,"

"I beg your pardon but who I hold onto is my business and it's between me and the good lord, and the woman isn't a Native, she's Latina, I met her in Mexico,"

"Still son,"

"Look sir, go Evangelise to someone who cares, I have my Faith, you have yours,"

"But son,"

"Sir," Brett said as he drew his pistol and pointed it at the man's head, "I'm from the Mines, don't make me do something I don't want to because you're making me defend my girl's honour,"

The man walked away, "You're going to Hell,"

"So are you, you're judging something you have no right to judge, only God is judge," Brett yelled back as the man was seen pausing and paling.

"You are a bit mean," Santana said as she squeezed his fingers.

"He insulted you bonita, I wasn't going to let him get away with it," Brett said as he kissed her lips.

Santana smiled, "How's your shoulder?"

"Better, I don't really need the sling but Paws thought I should keep it on,"

"And you have to listen to a doctor,"

"Yeah, c'mon, I'm tired, let's go to bed, tomorrow we'll be at McKinley,"

Santana nodded her head.

* * *

The next day, the train pulled into McKinley and Brett felt at home again. Everything was more or less the same, but next to Kurt's Saloon was now a small hotel.

He planned on staying there for a bit, unless of course Kurt could give him his old room back.

"Welcome to McKinley," Brett said as he held Santana's hand.

Santana smiled as she took in the small and simple place.

"Bison, you looking for another good night Sug'? a woman asked him. He recognised her from the night he won the fight against Buffalo.

"Uh, no thanks," Brett said as he clutched Santana's hand tighter.

"Oh, I see, damn, another good one gone, too bad Sug', you were a lot of fun,"

Santana looked at him.

"I won a big fight, and the boys and I, we were in celebration mode," Brett said.

"You don't have to justify yourself, I was just curious," Santana said as she patted his hand.

"With that being said Sug', you sure you don't want a piece of this, I'm sure I'm better than a Native," the woman said.

"No thank you, she's plenty good," Brett said annoyed.

"You sure, I mean she looks like she can be wild and dirty, or meek, considering how she's looking now,"

"No, I'm good,"

"Must suck you very well then,"

Brett was about to say something but Santana beat him to it.

"Listen "Sug'", he doesn't want what you're offering now leave, I'm sure you can find someone to give your pussy to, as for me, well, I'm not a Native, I'm Hispanic meaning that all this curve here, he finds delicious as opposed to you who goes straight down with the exception of your child bearing hips, now shoo puta," she said angrily as the woman huffed off.

Santana paused and looked up at Brett to see him staring at her with wide eyes, fearing she had done something wrong she winced.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Damn," Brett said as she flinched waiting for a hit, "You completely brought her down, you're a fiery Latina when you wanna be,"

"I didn't mean to be,"

"No, be you, that was great, did you see the look on her face, damn, you are, what's the phrase I'm looking for? Bad ass, were you like this before Jose?"

"Worse,"

Brett laughed, "I like it, you've got a fiery spirit, I hope it'll stay,"

"You won't always think that,"

"Wanna bet?"

"No, not really,"

"Hey Bison, welcome back to McKinley," Puck said as he shook Brett's hand, "Who's this?"

"Hey Fists, this is Santana, my girl," Brett said.

"Your girl huh? Damn, now that's all three of you,"

"Three of us?"

"Oh, while you were away Jaw met a girl, nice girl, crazy though, anyway he'll tell you more about it later, good to see you, I have to get back to work,"

Brett waved goodbye.

"So brother, enjoying the fact that we're back?" Quinton asked as he walked up to the pair.

"Yeah, where were you? You just missed Fists," Brett asked.

"I was picking up the keys for our houses, bought them while they were cheap and good, it's while I was away for a week and visiting Rachel, thought I'd swing by here and invest," Quinton said to Brett with a proud smile, "And, because I'm so nice and knew you were coming back, I got you a house next to mine,"

"Thank you," Brett said.

"Hey, you're like the brother I never had, it's why I call you brother all the time,"

"That is true, but I also thought you had a brother,"

"And he was an asshole, you're more of a brother to me than he was or ever will be,"

"How the hell can you afford all this?"

"One, I'm a Doctor, Two, I made a lot of money in the diggings, Three, I win a lot of fights, Four, some of the money I won from betting on you is still left over,"

"Wow, that's neat,"

"You bet your sweet ass,"

Brett laughed.

"Come on, I'll show you the places," Quinton said.

"How'd you know I was going to come back?" Brett asked.

"You're a man of your word,"

* * *

As the sun was setting and everyone was getting settled in their new places.

Brett sat on his back porch with Santana, softly letting his fingers run up and down her arm as she sat on his lap and cuddled up to him.

He liked this house, it was a good decent house, two stories, made of pine, painted white, it was a good solid house. He decided to make it his own as he paid Quinton back, the guy was seriously too nice to him ever since they had met that he felt it was time he give back a bit.

"Hey, Paws will be coming over soon, you okay with that?" Brett asked.

"Yeah," Santana said as Brett smiled at her.

When Quinton did arrive the two men shared a whiskey as they sat and talked.

"Look, I'm thinking of introducing law here, you know," Brett said as he looked at Quinton while running circle patterns on Santana's back, softly.

"That's going to be hard," Quinton said truthfully, "Though the gang here, they trust you, most of them who know you anyway, and with increasing numbers coming in, well, it'd be good to have some law here,"

"You going to stay here in McKinley?"

"Well, I don't know, McKinley is a good town, and I can make good money here as a Doctor when not mining, but, Rachel, she loves San Fran, I can't take her away from there, it's her dream,"

"What about you?"

"My dream is to be with her, to have a family with her, I can be a Doctor anywhere, and if I ever get the urge to mine, well, I'll talk to her about coming here when we can, it's why we have a house here,"

"You love your wife that much?" Santana asked out of the blue, then cringed because she thought one of the men was going to hit her.

"Hey, don't worry okay, you can talk, ask, you're free here," Brett whispered softly as he kissed the top of Santana's head.

Santana just nodded.

"I do love my wife very much, she helped me, you know, saved my life, I used to be an ass 'til I met her, and she, something about her, it just, I don't know how to say this, but we just worked," Quinton answered as Santana nodded.

"Quinn?" Rachel called out as she walked around the house.

"Out back Sweetheart," Quinton yelled out.

"Hey," she said as she came out to the patio and hugged Quinton's neck.

"Hey," he said as he kissed her.

"Who's this?"

"Santana Lopez," Brett said.

"Oh, the daughter of the next potential Leader of Mexico?"

"How'd you know that?" Santana asked.

"I read the paper, they said that you had gone missing, presumed dead, plus, Brett's told me all about you, I would have met you in Mexico, but, you were out cold and I had to leave the next day," Rachel answered.

"Oh, my father said that I was dead because I dishonoured the family," Santana said as she curled up into Brett's body.

Rachel just nodded her head at her in understanding.

* * *

That evening after the conversation had slowed; Rachel and Santana had gotten to know each other better as they laughed about almost everything, especially their men. The two were currently seated on the lawn as they star gazed and talked.

Quinton watched with proud hazel eyes as his wife laughed and talked.

"You okay there?" Brett asked.

"Yeah, just feeling lucky, you know," he said.

"Yeah,"

"What's the matter?"

"Some Evangelist was giving me a hard time about Santana, thought she was a Native girl, not that there's anything wrong with that, I wouldn't care what race she's from, but it bugs me, you know,"

"I hear you brother, people give me a hard time about Rachel, I mean, one of her Daddy's is black and the other is Jewish, her birth Mama is Jewish too, but I don't care, let those fuckers think whatever the hell they want, they're missing out on a good thing because of their bigoted minds,"

"Yeah, I just hate that they talk trash about her, you know,"

"I know, but you gotta let it go, folks will never change their minds especially if they think they're right, ain't no point you wasting your breath on something that won't change,"

"Yeah,"

"You got Santana, that's all that matters,"

"Yeah, true,"

"Well, I'm going to head off, I miss my wife,"

"You miss riding your wife,"

"That too, but we're just catching up today, if we're gonna ride together, that's good too,"

Brett laughed.

"See you brother, I need rest, back to the Doctor's office tomorrow, may go to the dig later, but you keep me posted on the law thing you want,"

"Yeah, shall do,"

When Quinton and Rachel left, Brett found Santana inside looking around the house again.

He smiled as he looked at Santana.

"Wanna dance?" he asked.

"To what?" she asked back.

"Anything we want,"

"Okay,"

Brett took her hands and pulled her close so he could slow dance with her.

Santana leaned in and kissed Brett's lips, making him moan. As the kiss got deeper he couldn't help it as he slowly started to undo her simple dress slowly and letting it fall to the ground.

Her fingers made quick work of his pants and his shirt as he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom and lay her on the bed.

When there she straddled his hips as she leaned down to kiss him, his hands automatically ran up her back and pulled her closer to him.

She began to undulate her hips with his, making him groan as he held her close and switched them around so that she was under him. He buried his nose into her neck and kissed it softly, taking in her new perfume and soft skin.

He trailed kisses down her body as her fingers ran through his hair, and when his tongue flicked into her core, she moaned as her hips jutted up as he continued his movements with his tongue there.

Brett then slowly moved his way back up and kissed her lips again, and then back to her neck as his hands softly caressed her body.

Never had she had anyone touch her like this before. Men were usually rough, horrid. Throwing her and forcing themselves too strongly that it wasn't pleasurable, but Brett was different, he savoured her, wanted her but controlled himself so that he could also pleasure her in turn.

"Brett, le quiero realmente, ahora," she whispered into his ear. (Brett, I really want you, now).

Brett gasped as he paused for air and looked at her, "Seguramente algo quiere," he husked back. (Sure, anything you want).

"¿Algo?" (Anything?)

"Si," (Yes).

"Quiero usted, todos ustedes, esta noche y aquí, en esta cama," (I want you, all of you, tonight and here, on this bed).

Brett smiled as he obliged her making her moan his name.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: **Figured I'd get this chapter out since I was on a mini-roll when writing and I couldn't sleep so well anyway. And have work soon...hmmm.

Anyway, enjoy Chapter 11.

* * *

**Chapter 11:**

Brett rolled off Santana with a satisfied smile as he pulled her into a hug.

Santana looked up at him with a smile making him grin more.

Yes, sex with her was well worth it and ten times better than he thought it would be…not that he thought about it a lot…okay he thought about it almost all the time since meeting her but that wasn't all he thought about when he was with her.

"That was awesome," he said to her as he pecked her lips.

"I'm good," she boasted back.

"You definitely are, so, what about me?"

"You're okay,"

He looked at her as she smirked at him in a teasing way before she curled up to him and let out a sigh before she drifted off to sleep.

"Hey, come on, let me make you feel awesome," he said, "Come on, I want to be awesome,"

But she just smirked in her sleep at him.

He gave a small quiet laugh at that and soon he dozed off too, but his dreams wouldn't let him sleep peacefully.

Brett stirred as the dream became vivid and clear.

_He was at a small settlement, close to Native American territory._

_He could see Santana laughing as she drank water from the stream._

_Images then began to flash in and out of her before he could hear screaming coming from a closed room, no matter how hard he tried to open the door and reach it, he couldn't. He knew Santana was being tortured on the other side._

_Then he was flashed back to the river, he could hear screaming, but he didn't know where it was coming from._

_He turned and tried to hear better, but it stopped. And there was an eerie silence._

_All of a sudden it started again. Screaming, Santana was screaming as she ran, going as fast as her legs would take her._

_Brett tried to catch up with her, but was too late as he watched her about to get slaughtered in front of him, by who, he didn't know, he thought it was a native, but it didn't' appear to be, just someone dressed as one to fool him._

_And then the person turned._

_It was that Evangelist._

_"Should have stayed with your own kind," the man hissed, "Sin needs to be cleansed, blood, fire,"_

_"No," he said in his dream as he ran but no matter how close to her he tried to get he couldn't reach her._

_"Dream, this is a dream, this is a dream," he started to yell at himself_

_"Dreams can become reality," the Evangelist said as he slit Santana's throat and threw the fire at her._

_"No, NOOO," he screamed as he ran and finally held Santana in his arms._

_"Brett," she whispered and died in front of him._

_"No, this is a dream, wake up, wake up, this is a dream, no, no, help me, somebody help me,"_

_Santana disappeared from his arms and was back to being tortured._

_"No, bring her back," Brett screamed._

_"Death comes to her, only death, she will scream and she will burn," a voice hissed at him._

_"No, no, no, no, wake up, Brett, this is a dream,"_

_"Dreams become reality,"_

_"No, I don't believe you,"_

_"Watch your Santana burn," the voice hissed with finality as Santana was seen before him on a crucifix that was on fire, a lynch around her neck as she was bleeding from her head._

_"Brett?" she gasped. _

"NOOO, NO, NO, NOT, NO," Brett screamed as he sat up in bed and began tossing and turning violently trying to get the images out of his head. Flailing his arms and legs as he did so.

Santana stirred quickly as she moved away from him before going back carefully and holding him.

"Brett, stop, stop, it's okay, calm down, it's okay," she whispered as a tear made its way down his face as he calmed.

"San," he breathed out as he pulled her into a hug, his arms around her waist so that his head was on her chest.

"Hey, bad dream?" she asked in a whisper.

Brett just nodded his head as he kissed her shoulder before moving down to kiss her bare breast.

He let his fingers run against her arms and down her body, reassuring himself that she was very much alive.

"Escuche mi latido del corazón, sólo escuche, oiga mi redoble de corazón," she whispered to him. (Listen to my heartbeat, just listen, hear my heart beating).

He listened to her heart beat.

"Óigalo redoble, es para usted y le dice que estoy aquí," she finished whispering. (Hear it beating, it's for you and it's telling you that I am here).

Brett held her tighter as he sniffed, he wasn't usually much of a crier, but that dream hurt him. Screw that, it wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare, he'd never had a nightmare so bad before.

Santana stroked his hair in comfort before whispering, "Take me again, let me help you forget that dream,"

He looked at her as he touched her face with his fingers and kissed her lips.

"Take me," she said again as he moved on top of her.

He eased her legs apart softly with his hand as he let it massage her core first.

"Ah mi Dios," she moaned. (Oh my god).

He suckled her breast and played with her nipple with his tongue as he leaned his head a bit so he could hear her heart beating as he did so.

"Más," she said. (More).

He kissed her lips as he slid in and filled her.

She moaned as her legs wrapped themselves around his lower back as she moved with him.

"Oh San, San, San, San," he whispered in a moan.

"I'm right here," she moaned back.

He kissed her lips and she deepened it as the two moved together, he grasped one of her hands with his as he enclosed their fingers together.

As they continued moving, the panting became deeper as did the kissing.

Brett sped up as he felt himself close to the edge but he didn't want to stop, his body however wanted to.

He had his head against her chest as her fingers ran through his hair and occasionally gripped onto it when he would hit the right spot.

Finally he came as she did and he let out a tired yet somewhat satisfied sighing pant, leaning his head against her chest again to hear her heart beating.

His eyes were still closed as Santana looked down at him.

Sweat had plastered his hair down as it glistened off both of their bodies.

She stroked his hair again making him look up at her as he slid out and kissed her.

"Thank you," he said.

She just looked at him with a small sad smile.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm just sad that you're hurting, want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No, it was just a dream, just a dream,"

"It wasn't just a dream,"

"I, I dreamt that you were being killed right in front of my eyes, and Sanny, that hurts, so much, I can't, it was like I couldn't breathe, you were gone and there was nothing I could do about it, you left,"

Santana understood what he meant as she pulled him closer so that his head was under her chin, she let him drift off to sleep listening to her heart beating.

* * *

The next morning, Brett got up and bathed with Santana as the two were getting ready for the day.

Rachel wanted to take Santana out to the town to show her the small shops and meet Kurt, Quinton had to go to work, and Brett decided that he'd return to the dig with Finn as Puck was working at the gunsmith shop he now owned fully.

"So, how'd you meet your woman?" Brett asked Finn as the two were checking their gold pans for gold flakes or nuggets.

"I was riding along with Fists, and I saw her, she's some religious nut, well, was, saying things about the Lord saving her, I had to tell her that the Lord don't work like that, not really, but she wouldnt' listen, I felt bad for her, so I got her some medicine, she thanked the Lord, and said she had faith that He wouldn't let her die, I couldn't help it, I had to save her," Finn said.

"Oh, and how she take to being rescued?"

"She hated me for a while, but I got her to see some sense, Fists just wanted to bed her, she's a beauty,"

"Name?"

"Oh, Charlotte Jennings, I just call her Jenny,"

"Cute,"

"She is," Finn said as he looked at him, "Hey, I was just wondering, are you okay? I could hear you screaming,"

Brett paused before asking, "Screaming? When?"

"Last night," Finn answered.

"I was that loud?"

"Bison, my house is opposite the road from you, in the middle of Fists and Kurt's, Paws is the only one next to you, didn't you know that?"

"No,"

"Ah, so, wanna talk about it?"

"No, I'm good, I talked to Santana about it, so, we're good,"

"If you're sure,"

"Yeah, I'm sure Paws will try and talk to me too, but I'm good,"

"Okay then,"

* * *

A few weeks had passed now and everyone was more or less getting back into routine.

Brett was making an advance in becoming the town's sheriff since he was the first trying to bring in Law. And as a small council started up, so did people's interest in having a jail and law enforcement of some type.

Brett was recommended for Sheriff, which a week later he got.

And three other men became his deputies.

"In a few years, you'll be a Marshall son," the new councilman said as he gave Brett a badge.

Brett smiled at that as he walked out of the office.

"So brother, you're the new law man here, better keep your wits up huh," Quinton said as he shook his hand.

"Yeah, I'm surprised that it took them so long to decide they actually wanted a council and have actual appointed law enforcement officers," Brett replied.

"You and me too brother, but remember, this place was a dig first and man was made to follow an unspoken law, that's what these lands are about, now that there are more people coming, well, you know, we need law men, but mark my words brother, don't get crooked or keep crooked men, if you have to, take 'em out,"

"I will brother, but hey, I'm sheriff, anyone misbehaves I'll throw them to the Miner's judgement,"

Quinton laughed at that.

Brett looked up and saw Santana and Rachel looking at him.

"You know, it's been a while, you haven't heard nothing from your Pa, maybe it's time you start settling down, Dutch will always be around no matter what you do anyway," Quinton said as he looked at the women then back up at Brett, "She loves you, you know, don't matter that you met her a few months ago now,"

"I know, but we should keep working first," Brett said.

"Brother, this place may start becoming a town, but you know the dig, make her yours before some other man tries,"

"That is true," Brett laughed remembering a time when Wolf Meat decided to try and get Digger Joe's girl only to be beaten up. Digger Joe married the girl not too long later.

* * *

As time went by, Brett still didn't hear anything from his Father, so he assumed that either Dutch was captured or he was in hiding and there was nothing he could without more information.

In that time, Brett thought over what Quinton had told him about marrying Santana, and he felt that perhaps it was time to do so.

So he went ring shopping while Santana was at work with Kurt at his bar.

The two struck up an odd but good friendship.

Which Brett was happy about, and the townsfolk were getting used to seeing the Latina everywhere and on the odd occasion Rachel as well.

It had been about four months since his nightmare and Brett decided that tonight would be the night he asked her.

Santana found him on the porch in the back after her work shift.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Thinking," he said as he got up and looked at her.

"You have something on your mind?"

"Yeah,"

"What?"

"I, uh, well, we're been together for a while and we've known each other for almost half a year,"

"Yes,"

"And in that time we've only been with each other,"

"Yes, are you questioning my faithfulness?"

"What? No, of course not, I know you're faithful to me, hell, my office is unusable by most because of what we do in there, when no one is there, good thing that desk of mine is sturdy,"

Santana laughed a bit, "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I, I'm just, I wanted to know if you'd marry me," Brett said as he showed Santana the ring and got down on one knee, "I'm not going to say that I guarantee happiness because I know that you and I will fight, and argue, but I can say that I will love you until my dying day, so, will you marry me, Santana Lopez?"

Santana didn't know what to say as she stared at the ring, then back at Brett again.

She just gapped at him.

The pause was so long that Brett was worried she was going to say no.

"Are you sure?" Santana asked as she looked at him.

"Te amo tanto cariño," Brett said to her as he stood up again and looked at her. (I love you so much, Sweetheart).

Santana felt her lips quiver a bit as she jumped into Brett's arms and cried.

Brett circled his arms around her and held her tight.

"I'm assuming jumping, hugging and crying means yes?" he asked softly.

Santana nodded her head, "Yes, it means yes," she said as she looked at him and pecked his lips.

He smiled as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

"Um, Brett," she started.

"Yes," he said looking at her.

"Brett, there's something I need you to know too," she said in a quiet whisper and looked scared.

"What?" he asked as he took her hand.

"Don't be mad,"

"I'll try,"

"I've been feeling ill recently,"

"You have? Why didn't you tell me? Or Paws?"

"I did, I went to see him today and he asked me what my symptoms were,"

"And?"

"Estoy embarazado," (I'm pregnant).

Brett could only stare in surprise.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** Hey all, sorry about taking so long to update, but I recently got more hours at my job, so I'm adjusting to that, and I've noticed that recently I've been ignoring this thing called sleep as I attempted to keep up with three stories at once (Never doing that again...yeah right - Lol). So I won't be able to update as much as I'd like.

I hope you will enjoy this Chapter.

But a **Warning, there will be a trigger in this**, and it's short but sad as it deals a bit more with Santana's past. I was thinking of making this chapter that bit more jovial, but realised that because Santana has gone through what she has, it may still take her while to get adjusted to being with Brett and memories can sometimes be nasty.

**AN 2: (Update) - **I decided to repost this chapter (on the 20/02/2014) because I wasn't happy with it, it came out rushed and I apologise for making you read it again. (If you so choose to).  
Not that much has been change since the original chapter - but some of the dialogue has been drawn out a bit more and other pieces have been added.

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

"How far along?" Brett asked.

"About three months, I think it was when you had that nightmare, we didn't, you didn't pull out when you spilled," Santana said.

"I'm going to be a Daddy?"

"Yes,"

Brett smiled, "You're going to be a Mama?"

"Yes, so, you're okay?"

"Of course I am, I'm so happy, I'm, I'm gonna be a Daddy," he said as he hugged her, "We have to think of names, oh and converting a room for the nursery,"

Santana laughed at him.

"You're okay with the baby right?" she asked just to be sure.

"Of course I am bonita, that's my baby," he said to her.

Santana shot him a look.

"And yours too, of course," he stammered.

"Aha," she said.

* * *

The next couple of days went by well, at least Brett thought it was until he noticed something he wished he realised straight away.

Every time he went close to Santana and put his hand on her stomach to feel closer to the baby, she flinched and nearly panicked. Every time he started laughing incredibly loudly or slammed something down because it was heavy, her instinct was to cover her stomach with her hands almost as if she were trying to protect the baby. He was so happy about being a Father that he didn't even notice how his fiancé was feeling.

One day he decided to talk to her about it.

"Santana," Brett said as she walked back into the house after visiting Rachel, the two were talking about Brett and Santana's upcoming Wedding.

"Yes?" she asked and then looked worried at the grim look on his face.

"Sit, please," he said as he pointed to a chair.

She hesitated.

Brett figured he'd try something that was on his mind, it was slightly cruel (to him anyway) but he had to know.

"I want to talk about the baby and what we're going to do about it," he said as Santana's eyes widened and he could see her panicking on the inside.

And that's what he was looking for.

"Bonita, please sit," he said.

"No, no, please," she started.

He walked towards her as she started to panic.

"Bonita, please calm down," he said.

"No, please, don't take the baby, please don't take the baby," she started saying quickly as tears fell down her face.

"Santana please sit,"

"No, you're going to take it away from me, I won't let you do it this time,"

"Bonita, stop,"

"No, you're not getting close to me,"

"Santana!"

At that Santana stopped, Brett had never raised his voice to her like that before, and that shocked her out of her memories.

"Bonita, calm down, now please, sit," he said as he put the chair in front of her.

Santana did as he asked.

He could see the worry on her face.

He knelt in front of her as he looked up at her and placed his hands slowly and softly on her stomach.

"Bonita, siento que no vi que se asustó," he said to her as he placed his hand on her cheek as a tear fell from her face. (Darling, I'm sorry I didn't see how scared you were).

"No me asusto," she said with a sense of certainess, but her body betrayed her words. (I'm not scared).

"Sí es, y lo puedo ver, cada vez voy cerca de usted y soy fuerte, o cuando le toco, se asusta de mí," (Yes you are, and I can see it, every time I go near you and I'm being loud, or when I touch you, you're scared of me).

Santana tried to look away.

"Hey, look at me," he said softly as she looked, "I would never hurt you, Lo juro," (I swear it).

Santana looked at him again.

"Please tell me what's wrong," he asked in a pleading tone, he wanted to know what was wrong. He had to know.

"He estado embarazado dos veces antes, pero me hicieron deshacerme del bebé porque no lo quisieron, un niño bastardo y yo se asustamos que perderé éste, siento, no es usted, son sólo las memorias de ellos pegándome hasta que fracasara," she said to him.  
(I have been pregnant twice before, but they made me get rid of the baby because they didn't want it, a bastard child and I'm scared that I will lose this one, I'm sorry, it's not you, it's just the memories of them beating me until I miscarried).

Brett stood up as he hugged her, "I'm sorry you had to go through that, no woman should know what it feels like to lose a child,"

Santana slowly hugged him back.

"Bonita, whenever you're scared, just talk to me, I would never hurt you, you know that, when those memories hurt you, find me, talk to me, I always have time for you, I'll always be here for you," he said.

"I'm sorry," she said back in tears.

"No, don't be sorry, I'm sorry I didn't see it,"

Santana wiped her tears as she sniffed and looked at Brett.

"I'm excited about being a Father, just remember that, and soon I will be a husband, I'm looking forward to that Bonita, a life with you, with our family," he said.

"Brett, I'm scared," she said.

"Of what?" he asked.

"My father, he's here, in America, what if he comes back for me? What if he tries to take me away?"

"He won't hurt you and he won't find you, you won't be a Lopez forever, you'll be a Pierce, I'm the Law in this town and people respect that, people know me and they know you, they will keep you safe just like I will,"

Santana looked at him.

"I promise you, your father and your family, they will never take you away from me," he said to her.

"Okay," she said softly.

"I'm really sorry I scared you Bonita, but I wanted to be sure of my assumption," he said to her.

"Brett," she said looking at him.

"Yes,"

"I'm really hungry,"

Brett started laughing at the quick change of conversation as he nodded his head, happy that he, hopefully, got through to Santana and talked a little a bit with her about what was wrong.

* * *

A few days had passed since that talk, Santana was back to her normal self, talking a lot, laughing. Rachel was over now and then and the two talked babies and their men.  
Quinton would occasionally check up on Santana's health and progress and only had good things to say. Which Brett was happy about.

Although, with that being said, Santana was making Brett quite tired. He was running around the town quite a bit to find the right items for the nursery, or to find her the right food she wanted, (tell you what, trying to find the right type of Mexican food in America, not easy).  
And if it wasn't that, it was her sexual appetite, but he assumed it had something to do with her worrying about a straying eye since she was getting a bit bigger and he still looked more or less the same.

"Okay, I gotta ask, how is Rachel not pregnant?" Brett asked as he flopped onto the chair next to Quinton as the two were having a catch up that evening.

"There's this thing called a condom brother, oddest thing to wear, uncomfortable as hell, but hey, you get to go as often as you want, just don't reuse the same one," Quinton answered.

"A what?"

"Condom brother, stops your seed from fusing with her eggs, or at least, it usually does, can't guarantee nothing you know, anyway, I hear they are inventing a rubber one some place, but I don't care about that as much, not for now anyway,"

"Ah, so, how'd you get your hands on them?"

"Bought them, there are some trials for newer types and material, so you know, the perk of being a doctor is that I get to trial them, not that Rachel cares because we usually just go anyway,"

"You go anywhere?"

"Nope, she's the decent type, unlike a certain someone,"

"Hey, Santana is decent,"

"Brother, I know you two ride each other in your damn office, why do you think I don't sit when I'm there, and that desk of yours, I cringe,"

Brett turned red, "How'd you know about that?"

"I nearly walked in on you two one evening, I was gonna ask if you wanted to come fight, but you were battling Santana with your dick and tongue, I believe I kept hearing her ask for more, faster and deeper, and that's if I understand Spanish right," Quinton laughed, "I left as quickly as I could,"

Brett laughed nervously as the two quieted for a moment.

"She was scared of me Paws," Brett said as he broke the silence, sat up properly and looked at Quinton.

"Who?" he asked.

"Santana, she was scared I was going to make her miscarry the baby, she was pregnant twice before, and they made her get rid of it,"

"I'm sorry to hear that, though I suspected that she may have been pregnant before,"

"How?"

"When we stripped her down back in Mexico, I got a look at her body,"

Brett punched him in the arm.

"Hey, watch it brother, you may be a good fighter but I can kick your ass, I'm also a doctor and a husband, I know human anatomy and I wouldn't do that to my wife," Quinton warned.

"Sorry," Brett said.

"Look, I saw her nipples, alright, they're larger, equipped for a bearing woman,"

"Rachel doesn't have nipples like that?'

"No, hers are still small because she's never had youngin's,"

"I see,"

"What Santana has gone through though, from what Rachel tells me sometimes, the beatings, the hurt, the abandonment, the rape, I can't imagine what that must be like brother and I don't want to, and now you're telling me those bastards made her lose her babies, I can't imagine that, to be forced to lose a part of yourself, don't make a lick of sense some people,"

"Why couldn't she just tell me Paws?"

"Fear and memories do a lot of things to a person brother, you of all people have seen it happen, Santana has been through a lot of pain, why a Father would do that to his child I don't know, my Father kicked me out of home, it's why I don't talk about my own family much,"

"Why'd he kick you out?"

"I had a pregnancy scare, girl thought she was pregnant and said I was the Father, funny thing is is that I told them all I never touched her, and I didn't, she had some other guy shove his dick in her first and then said the baby was mine, but by the time it was proven that she lied it was too late, but I don't care, I hated my family anyway, my parents were damn alcoholics who came from money, my father was a child abuser and a wife beater, my brother was an unsupportive asshole, when I made it to Medical School I forgot them as soon as I could afford to be away,"

"You mean you used their finances and then bailed?"

"Yeah pretty much, it's not like they missed me and hey, since they wanted me to earn a good name either way and pay for my learning why not?"

Brett didn't say anything.

"Anyway, with Santana, just give her time to adjust, which I'm sure you have," Quinton finished.

"I did, I talked to her a few days ago, but I feel bad about it now, it was cruel of me," Brett admitted.

"What did you do?"

"When she came home, I asked her to sit down in a chair, I didn't say much and she figured something was wrong, when I said to her that I wanted to talk to her about what to do with the baby, it triggered her or something, it was like she could see it was me but she didn't remember it was me,"

Quinton smacked Brett up the backside of his head, hard.

"OW!" he yelped.

"You deserved that," Quinton said as he glared at him.

"That damn well hurt,"

"Good, that was intended, if you suspect someone of being traumatized about something don't damn scare them again, just ask, and if she didn't want to talk about it, respect that, but tell her that you'd still be there, good god boy what went through your head?"

"I just wanted to be sure and know,"

"Then ask next time,"

"I will, jeez,"

"Hey boys, what are you doing?" Rachel asked as she and Santana appeared.

"Just giving him a talking to," Quinton said as he smiled at Rachel and Santana looked at Brett rubbing the backside of his head while muttering.

"Okay then, well, Santana and I were talking names and baby stuff, plus their wedding,"

"That sounds great, any name ideas?"

"Santana," Rachel said looking at Santana.

"Well, I, for a girl, I was hoping to name her Maria and for a boy, I was thinking Benedicto, or Ben for short," Santana said.

"They are great names, why those names?" Brett asked.

"Maria is the name of my Abuela and Benedicto was my Abuelo, they brought me up for most of my life," Santana said.

"And you want to honour them?"

"Yes,"

"They sound wonderful to me,"

"So, what happened to your head?"

"The doctor,"

"What did you do?"

"He was being an idiot when it came to talking to you so I slapped him one, he should be right now," Quinton said with a smirk as Rachel slapped his arm.

"Quinton Lucas Fabray you do not hit people you do not agree with," Rachel scolded.

"I deserved it, I scared Santana instead of just talking to her," Brett said as Santana sat on his lap.

"I see, well then, I guess it was deserved, Santana, see what I was telling you, men can be idiots sometimes,"

Santana just laughed as she made Brett lean his head down and kissed the spot he was whacked on.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** Hey all, here's a quick update. (And I do mean quick - it's quite a short chapter). Just a **Warning**, this chapter will be sad.

Hope you enjoy Chapter 13.

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

Santana was crying, she was scared and terrified.

Brett was currently outside the house pointing a gun at her father, Santiago's head and threatening him in Spanish.

"Ella ahora es mi esposa, usted no tiene ninguna autoridad sobre ella, usted la desconoció, sale," he yelled at the Latino standing in front of him. (She is my wife now, you have no authority over her, you disowned her, go away).

"That is my child gringo, my daughter, you took her out of Mexico without my permission," he said to him.

"You disowned her then left her for dead, if it wasn't for me she'd be six feet under because of Jose Alcalde,"

"Jose Alcalde?"

"Yes, I killed that son of a bitch,"

"You killed Jose Alcalde?"

"Yes, he hurt mi bonita, he beat her, let her be raped, whored her out because she was so badly broken, so I killed him when he tried to double cross me,"

Santiago shook his head in disbelief as he tried to take a step closer but Brett cocked his gun, Quinton, Puck and Finn, as well as few other miners were there surrounding the group of men from Mexico.

"Don't take a step closer or I will put a bullet in you," Brett said.

"I want to see my daughter," Santiago said.

"She doesn't want to see you, because of you, my wife is crying inside that house, terrified of you,"

"Your what?"

"My wife,"

"No, she can't have, when did you get married?"

"About five months ago,"

* * *

_Flashback_.

Brett was pacing nervously in his room as Quinton laughed and helped straighten the tall blonde's black bowtie.

"Calm down brother, you're going to be fine," Quinton said.

"I'm nervous, what if she says no?" Brett asked.

Quinton looked at him with a sceptical 'are you kidding me' type of look.

"What?" Brett asked.

"You've saved her, you live with her, you love her and you've bedded her, how the hell is she going to say no?" Quinton asked.

"Um, well, she may be annoyed with me,"

"She'd only be annoyed with you for saying stupid crap like you are now,"

"Okay, okay, I'm just nervous because I want this day to go well, okay,"

"You only get married once right?"

"Yeah,"

As the wedding was about to start, Brett was rushed to the front of the altar of a makeshift church.

The small band, consisting of his Miner friends, started to play as Santana walked down the aisle with Rachel behind her.

She was smiling at him as he smiled back.

The ceremony was lovely and nothing went wrong, well, except for Uncle Old Man who became about as drunk as a skunk and tried to hit on Santana but ended up dancing away with a broom because he thought he managed to seduce her.

Santana was laughing at the sight of it.

"I love you bonita," Brett whispered to her as they danced the night away.

_End of flashback._

* * *

"You will not take her from me," Brett said as he glared.

"She does not belong in this country," her father said angrily.

"Yes she does, she's legally an American now, she's no longer a Mexican citizen, well, by your standards anyway,"

"What have you done?"

"My father, a government man, he legally made her an American, she had a choice as to whether or not she wanted to come with me and grasp this opportunity, and needless to say, she came with me,"

"She's a disgrace,"

"If she's such a disgrace, why the hell are you here? Huh?"

"I'm taking her back to Mexico and marrying her to someone else,"

"You take her from me and you're breaking the law of God, Qué dios se ha unido a junto, no dejó a ningún hombre destrozar," (What God has joined together, let no man tear apart).

"She shouldn't have married you,"

"Why?"

"Because you're a poor man,"

"And who told you that?"

"I, look at you gringo, you live in a small town, you dress like a beggar,"

"That's because I like to be comfortable, I don't lavish my wealth around like some trophy, I respect the men here, all of them, and they likewise respect me, we do that by not being nasty to one another or showing off that one of us is better than another, it's how this town works together,"

"Unless it's the fights Bison," one miner yelled out as the others laughed a bit, but stopped when they saw Brett give them all a 'now is not the time' look.

"Listen Mr Lopez, I am incredibly wealthy, ask the boys who have their guns aimed at you and your men," Brett said.

"Yeah, Bison is one of the richest men here, save for Paws, but we knew that," one Miner yelled as another agreed with him.

"How are you rich?" Santiago asked.

"I grew up in money and I left it to make a man of myself, which I did, all the wealth I have here, I earned with my good friend Paws, I worked hard, I also worked around Mexico when trying to hunt down Williamson, I met Santana there, and when I left, I asked her to come with me to have a better life here, and now, she is my wife and pregnant with my child," Brett answered.

"No, ella no puede estar embarazada con un niño americano, no, que no es posible, ella no puede estar embarazada a usted," (No, she can't be pregnant with an American child, no, that's not possible, she can't be pregnant to you).

"Oh but she is, now leave,"

"This isn't over gringo,"

"Meat, arrest this fool and his men, take them to the cells, maybe a cold night will cool them down,"

It was at that moment that Santana appeared as she walked slowly up to the group and stood behind Brett.

She watched as her father was taken away, a part of her still scared as she looked at him before turning her sight back on Brett.

Santiago saw her and wanted to move towards her and say something but couldn't as he was currently being held back at gun point. All he could do for now was see how she reacted to Brett, softly putting her hand on his to lower the gun down before placing her hand on his cheek.

He saw Brett softly put his hand on top of hers and kiss her palm with a smile as she smiled back at him.

That small intimate moment. That's when it hit him, Santana was happy with this gringo.

And he felt enraged, she had disgraced his family by not marrying who he wanted her to, who he needed her to, she disgraced them all by running away and living as a whore, and now, she married an American.

No, she was not allowed happiness, it didn't matter to him that she had tried to save his life by making Brett, who most knew was probably about to shoot him in cold blood, lower his gun.

He yelled angrily as he grabbed a gun and aimed it at Brett, Santana saw that and pushed Brett out of the way as the gun fired.

Rachel had screamed, Quinton had looked down at the two falling bodies. Everyone else was shocked.

Brett shot his gun at Santiago as he felt himself fall, hitting the man in the leg and making him howl, the other miners were about to shoot him.

"No, leave him, we'll arrest him and he can stand trial tomorrow," Brett said as he got up and dusted himself, "Santana will decide what happens to you,"

With that he walked up to Santiago and decked him in the face.

"Oh no," Quinton said as Brett turned around to look.

There on the ground bleeding was Santana.

"No, Sanny?" he said as he ran towards her, "No, no, no, Sanny, no, Sanny, please,"

He held Santana in his arms, pressing down on the wound that was evident just beneath her lower rib cage. He tried to put pressure on it to keep the blood from pouring out too much.

Brett let out a pained yell as his hands became bloodied.

"You best hope she survives Lopez, because if she doesn't, I'm going to hang you," Brett yelled as Santiago paused, looked and then realised what he had done.

He had shot his daughter. Now that he felt his anger subside the horror of what he had done pressed on him as he watched Brett hold her, cradling her and rocking a bit.

"Santana, no me deja por favor, te amo, no me deja por favour," Brett cried as he held Santana close to his body. (Santana, please, don't leave me, I love you, please don't leave me).

Brett looked up in pain and anger at Santana's father and yelled at him, "Usted bastardo, usted mató a su propia hija y su nieto, usted monstruo, veré que usted cuelga por la mañana," (You bastard, you killed your own daughter and your grandchild, you monster, I will see that you hang in the morning).

As Santiago Lopez was being taken away, he watched as Brett carried his dying wife as quickly as he could to the hospital.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** **WARNING **- This chapter will also be sad and is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, I have been described as a bit of a drama queen, but this is classed as a drama as well.  
Anyway, enjoy Chapter 14.

**AN 2:** Also, I apologise for the mix up on when Brett and Santana got married, I realised that some of the numbers didn't work, prior to me writing that it was five months since the two got married, the original text of Chapter 13 said a week. So I made a change to five months.  
Santana is about eight months pregnant by the time her father shows up.

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

Brett slowly let go of the dirt that was in his hands and let it fall onto the coffin that was now in the ground.

Santana had once told him that in her upbringing as a strict Catholic, letting the dirt fall was a symbolism of letting go, of healing and moving on.

Well Brett wasn't Catholic, he was a Dutch Reform, and he couldn't remember ever doing anything like this, but he could sort of see what she meant by it.

Quinton was standing next to him as moral support.

Brett sniffed as he picked up more dirt in his hands and let it fall, the dirt mixing into his hand and staining it because of his tears.

The bodies of his loved ones were being laid to rest, a mother and a child. And it hurt.

"Brett?" his sister Constance said as she walked up to him and hugged him.

He looked at her as he started to cry.

His sister cried too as she hugged him before being taken away by her partner.

"Paws, why do bad things keep happening to me? What did I do?" he asked as he wiped his tears.

"I don't know brother, I wish I could tell you," Quinton answered as he placed a strong comforting hand on Brett's shoulder.

"Promise me that she didn't die in pain,"

"She didn't, she was given anaesthesia, quite a bit of it, it took the pain away and let her drift into sleep before death,"

"And the baby?"

"I should hope the same thing,"

"Why would God do this to me? Have I not been a good man? I know I killed but, why? Why is this happening to me?"

"I don't know Bison, I'm not really a religious man anymore,"

"Son?" Brett's father said as he approached.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME," Brett screamed at him as he tried to lunge but Quinton held him back, "LET ME GO PAWS, LET ME GET HIM, HE DESERVES IT,"

"Son, I'm so sorry,"

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT, YOU HAD TO BETRAY OUR FAMILY, I HATE YOU,"

"Son, I didn't know,"

"Fuck You, Damn you and the rest of the Brethren to Hell, I hate you,"

* * *

_Flashback_

Brett was running with Santana in his arms as they reached the town's refurbished hospital.

Quinton got straight to work with the nurses when they arrived.

He managed to get the bullet out, but he knew he had to do something dangerous or Brett could risk losing the baby as well as Santana.

He rushed out as Brett was seen pacing around and Rachel was there with him.

"Bison," Quinton started.

"Paws, how is she?" he asked.

"Not good, Bison, Brett,"

"What?"

"I need you to think about this, and soon,"

"What?"

"There is this procedure that I learnt from a mentor of mine, he learnt in the Africa's, it has a good survival rate, but with Santana the way she is, it's a risk,"

"What is it? Tell me, stop beating around the bush,"

"If you want to save your baby, I have to perform an emergency caesarean ,"

"What?"

"The C-section means that we have a chance to save your child, but as to whether or not Santana survives, I don't know,"

"Paws, she's my wife, I, I can't make that decision,"

"You have to,"

"Dr Fabray, she's conscious," a nurse said to him.

"I need to talk to her," Brett said as Quinton nodded at him.

As Brett walked towards the room he turned and looked at Quinton, "Quinn, will this be the last time I see my wife?"

"I don't know," Quinton answered truthfully.

As Brett moved away he went into the room. Santana was only partially awake.

"Mi bonita," Brett said softly as he took her hands, "You saved me,"

"I had to, Te amo," Santana said.

"You risked our child,"

"I didn't think, I just reacted, is the baby okay?"

"Sanny,"

"Is the baby okay?"

"Yes, for now, but, but, Sanny, I,"

"What is it?"

"Quinton says he has to get the baby out now or you both could die, I can't, Sanny,"

"Save the baby, please Brett, save the baby, I can't lose another child, please,"

"I can't lose you,"

"I go, I go,"

"Sanny, I can't live without you,"

"Ahorre al bebé, ahorre por favor al bebé, yo no puede perder al bebé," (Save the baby, please save the baby, I can't lose the baby).

Brett nodded his head as he cried, "Te amo Santana," (I love you Santana).

"Te amo también, no llore por favor, te amo también," (I love you too, please don't cry, I love you too).

Brett kissed her lips as he got up quickly and went to see Quinton.

"Save the baby, but please, Paws, save her, please," he begged.

"I will try my best brother," Quinton said as he disappeared.

Ten minutes into the surgery, a crying could be heard.

Brett paused his pacing and looked up.

A nurse came and motioned for him to follow her, Rachel waited in the waiting room.

As he walked in, he saw a baby wrapped in a towel, it was crying.

"This is your son," Quinton said as he gave the baby to Brett.

"Hey Ben, hey Benedicto, you're my son," Brett said as happy tears fell, but the smile didn't last long as he looked at Santana, "Sanny?"

"The nurse will take you and Ben to another room, we have to continue operating, I'm sorry, but she's losing too much blood, go, I'm wasting time,"

The nurse led Brett away, holding his son.

As he watched the child be weighed and cleaned, he waited for news on Santana.

"Is he okay?" Brett asked, "He was born too early,"

"There may be complications, he wasn't breathing well when we got him out, so we'll keep him under surveillance," the nurse said.

"And my wife?"

"I,"

"Please tell me the truth,"

"I'm sorry Mr Pierce, but the chances of her survival aren't high,"

Brett felt his heart drop as he gently placed his hand on his son's.

After an hour passed, Quinton found him.

"Paws?" Brett started.

"We'll watch over her, the surgery went more or less okay, but we're being on guard, I don't want to give you false hope," Quinton answered.

"And my boy?"

"I hope he'll be okay, but being born this young and under such trauma, I don't know, we will have to see,"

_- still the flashback -_

The next day, as Quinton and a few other nurses looked after Santana and Ben, Brett went to the prison to see Santiago.

"I want to hang you for what you did," he spat at the man.

"How is Santana? How is my daughter?" Santiago asked.

"You have no right to ask,"

"Just tell me gringo,"

"Dying, and it's all your fault, your grandson isn't fairing much better because he came too early,"

"If you'd just let me take her,"

"If you'd just left her alone, she was happy here with me, she was fine, and if it's status and money, I have a high standing in the World, you should have left her alone, how the hell did you know she was here?"

"I was looking for her, some gringo told me where to find her,"

"Why were you looking for her? Why now?"

"Because I was going to give her a chance to fix everything for herself and our family,"

"Who told you where to find her?"

"Some man named Arthur Pierce, said he wasn't happy with a Brett Pierce marrying a woman named Santana, I asked where you lived because I offered him the chance to let me take her away and make her leave this Brett Pierce, and he pointed me here,"

Brett felt betrayal sink in, his father had told Santiago where Santana was, it was all his father's fault.

Brett ran out of the precinct and saddled his horse, he needed to get out and scream.

So he rode his horse out into a secluded area and let out a pained scream. Kicking the dirt and throwing rocks angrily against a lone tree.

When he felt a bit better he rode back to the city and went to the hospital.

He went looking for Quinton and saw him sitting at his desk with a sad frown on his face.

"Paws?" he asked as he knocked on the door and walked in.

Quinton looked up at him, "I'm sorry brother, I have some bad news for you,"

_End flashback._

* * *

"I'm really sorry son," Arthur Pierce said.

"Sorry does not undo what you did, sorry does not make me forget the betrayal you cast on me, I will never forgive you," Brett spat as he calmed down, (Quinton still held on to him just in case).

"She mattered to me too you know,"

"And it's because of you that she's six feet under, you knew exactly that having another child would risk her life and you made her carry anyway, so she carried and she was happy and you broke her heart, and because of that she ran onto the street and was hit by a carriage,"

"It's not, I just,"

"Thought with your dick more than your head, I get it, you're a damn pencil pusher who thinks of himself and gets men to do the work for you and take the glory for yourself, I caught Williamson and you took the credit for it,"

"I, son, you can't talk to me like that,"

"I sure as hell can, all the bad things in my life are because of you, Santana is a great woman and you and your racists bigoted views nearly got her killed, your sense of supremacy nearly killed my wife,"

"But she survived, you have your wife, I do not, you have your child, I do not,"

"And whose fault is that? Huh? You were supposed to protect Ma, but you didn't, you just got drunk and fucked some other woman in your wedding bed, it broke Ma's heart and I will never forgive you for that,"

"Son, please,"

"Stay the hell away from me Pa, only bad things happen when I do things for you, I don't need you in my life,"

"You killed Santiago Lopez, I still need to address that,"

"I didn't kill him,"

"But, we heard a shot,"

"I shot the air and told him that he was dead to me, to Santana, to my family, I told him to go back to Mexico and never return,"

"He will come back,"

"And if he's reformed and Santana is okay with him, fine, but other than that, I will shoot no sight,"

"Son,"

"Stop calling me that, you have no idea how hard it was for me the next day, waiting to hear if my wife and son were going to be okay, only to find out that you were the reason Santiago found us in the first place, and then I find out you cheated on Ma and are the reason she died of a broken heart, I can't believe you didn't have the balls to tell me yourself and you had to get Quinton to do it for you,"

With that Brett took another handful of dirt and let it fall onto the ground before turning away from his mother's and sibling's grave and walked away.

"Will I ever get to see my grandson?"

"No, you don't have that right,"

"You still have to help me with Dutch," his father called out to him.

Brett paused before turning back to him and yelling, "And I'll do it for you, my last job for you ever, because unlike you I am a man of my word,"

* * *

Returning to McKinley, Brett was nervous, Santana's recovery wasn't an easy one, she had died medically twice, but Quinton managed to bring her back, how, people weren't sure, but he did.

He went to the hospital room that had Santana and Ben in it.

The two were sleeping side by side.

"How long until she can come home?" Brett asked.

"In about a week she should be better, recovery however can take a few months, I don't recommend you riding her and vice versa for a while," Quinton said to him.

"I don't care about riding her, I care about her and my son," Brett said.

Quinton nodded his head before saying, "And I'm afraid you'll have to do a lot of things around the place, Rachel offered to come help, I will too, so will Jaws and Fists, and you know the men will be willing to help you,"

"I know, thank you,"

Quinton dipped his hat at his friend before returning home.

But before he could disappear, Brett called out to him, "Paws,"

"Yeah," he said.

"Thank you for all you've done, I don't know how I'll ever repay you for what you've done for me,"

"You'll think of something, besides, we're brothers, you don't have to do anything,"

Brett smiled as he nodded his head at him before grabbing a chair and grasping Santana's hand in his as he drifted off to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:**This chapter is a bit angsty towards the end, all I ask is that you remember that people sometimes get angry and say things they do not mean when they don't want to deal with grief.** (No, the death isn't one of the major characters, you can breath a sigh of relief).**

Enjoy Chapter 15.

* * *

**Chapter 15:**

It had been about six months since Santana had almost died, and she was recovering well.

In fact the only thing that she wasn't going well with was that Brett had turned into a very, very, paranoid man.

She knew she was recovering and all that, but the guy was treating her like a piece of china that would break.

She wasn't that fragile.

Every cough, every splinter or moment she said ow, he was at her side checking that she was okay.

"Brett, you have to stop that," Santana said to him.

"But I want to make sure you're okay," he said to her giving her the puppy dog look, which she found very cute.

"Y soy aceptable, yo me estoy recuperando, usted no tengo que preocuparse de mí," (And I am okay, I am recovering, you don't have to worry about me).

"Apenas me aterrorizan que si sucede una cosa incorrecta, yo le perderá para siempre," (I'm just terrified that if one wrong thing happens, I will lose you forever).

"Sé, pero usted necesita dejarme conseguir más fuerte, y puedo no si usted guarda el hacer de las cosas para mí, yo necesito también poder colocarse en mis propios dos pies," (I know, but you need to let me get stronger, and I can't if you keep doing things for me, I need to also be able to stand on my own two feet).

Brett sighed, "I know, you're right,"

"Of course I'm right, I'm your wife, I'll always be right," Santana said as she kissed his lips.

Brett laughed at that just as Ben started crying.

"I will get him," Brett said as he got up from his chair and Santana sighed.

Walking back into the room, Brett walked up to Santana.

"Pienso que alguien quiere ver a su mamá, mira quién es, él es mama," Brett said in an almost baby voice to his son. (I think someone wants to see their mommy, look who it is, it's mommy).

"El papá es tan tonto, yo piensa que él es insano," Santana laughed as she took Ben into her arms. (Daddy is so silly, I think he's insane).

Ben just looked at Santana with a baby's toothless smile as he reached out and touched her face.

"Te amo," Santana said as she kissed his head.

Ben squealed as he looked at her and made the sound of wanting to be fed.

Santana began to breastfeed him as Brett smiled.

"I can't wait until he can walk, and then I can teach him how to ride a horse," Brett said as he patted his son's head and held out a finger, which Ben grasped onto tightly. Santana gave them both a smile.

Ben paused for a moment to look at him before turning his head back to Santana and drinking his mother's milk.

"I can," Santana said, "They will only be small for so long, and one day they will grow bigger until we no longer matter anymore,"

"We will always matter," he said to her.

"I know, but he won't stay a baby for long, you know it will happen, he will get bigger and we will look back on days like today and wish we could hold him in our arms to keep him safe from the world,"

"But if we do that he will never learn how to stand,"

"I know, but I'm still scared for him,"

"He's our son, of course we'll be scared for him,"

"I know,"

It wasn't long before Ben was done and Santana had to burp him. Ben made a satisfied sound before slowly drifting off to sleep in his mother's arms, still holding onto his father's finger.

"You ever think of having more children?" Brett asked.

"Yes, Quinton said that I will be healed better and then we can think about it," Santana said.

"I don't mean now, goodness, Ben already gives us enough gray hairs we don't need more yet,"

Santana laughed as she cradled her son more and looked down at him, "I'd love to have more children in our family," she said finally.

Brett just smiled at that.

* * *

Today Brett was in his office as he was looking through stacks of papers and reports.

There was a problem with gangs and raiding groups again. He sighed. Men with nothing better to do than rape, steal and destroy what they didn't create themselves.

He hated days like these.

As the towns started to develop, so did the problems. His Nightwatch team, of which he'd do as well three times a week, unlike other men who only had to do it once, meant he was busy all the time and seeing a meaner side of humanity than he wanted to. Although, nothing could compare to nearly losing Santana, so he'd let it go.

The gold mining days were drawing to a close, sadly, the gold seemed to be running out and "progress" was on the horizon. Not that he cared much about that. Brett had no doubt in his mind though that there was more gold out there, but now he was a Sheriff and Quinton was a full time doctor; the two rarely had anytime for themselves, and what time they did have they devoted to their families.

Rachel had decided that she liked the quieter life, so Jesse, her Dads and her all packed up from San Francisco and moved here.

Brett liked her Dads, they were great men, of course he'd refer to one as her father and the other as her uncle, but still, they were good men.

They were attentive and loyal and doted on their daughter when they could. They taught Brett and Santana about how to raise children and what they would need to get through the night. Brett was grateful that they were there.

The two men's home was next to Rachel and Quinton's, but it was only one story with a decent yard. Their reasoning, they didn't need a big house, nor did they want one. Once the grandchildren arrived they were going to visit Rachel's house everyday and Quinton had no choice in the matter.  
Quinton would just laugh at that, he didn't mind, he loved the Berry men too.

Eventually it was quitting time was Brett was still lost in his thoughts, as everyone began to leave the station, Brett was soon on his own.

He sighed. He'd have to look into the Bollard Twin Gang soon, they were recently getting worse, attacking women in broad daylight, taking over ranches. Burning them to the ground. He heard tales that one ranch they took over, they skinned the men alive and hanged their corpses in the stables, others they ate, and the women, well, they were turned into objects for them to carry out their sadistic sexual desires. That made Brett sick. The decency of some humans appalled him. He'd have to find the leader soon and bring him to justice so that he could make sure the gang eventually disband.

He'd have to ride out with his deputies tomorrow to Glen Ranch just to check it out. That was his decision.

A noise made him look up and he saw Santana there.

"Sanny," he said as he looked at her.

"Hi," she said back as she came in and shut the door, locking it behind her.

"What are you doing?"

"Ben is with his loving god parents," (They had made Quinton and Rachel Ben's godparents).

"Oh?"

Santana just walked over to him and sat on his lap as she slowly began to unbuckle his belt.

"Bonita?" Brett started.

"I'm okay now, and I've missed this," she said as she kissed him, "I asked Quinton about it,"

"You seriously asked my best friend about having sex?!"

"He's a doctor, he's used to questions like that, and if he's not, too bad,"

Brett just grinned as he hitched her dress up as she pulled his trousers down.

He let out a breath as she lowered herself onto him and he circled his arms around her.

They kissed as she moved her hips in motion making him gasp as he jutted his hips up and into her.

One of his hands massaged her breast as the other held her.

"Te amo," she whispered hoarsely into his ear.

"Te amo," he whispered back as he let out a pleasured sound.

Brett couldn't take sitting in a chair more as he held her close and stood up, her legs wrapped around his waist. He cleared his desk and lay her on it so he could stand and thrust into her.

Santana moaned as he did so, her hands tried to grasp his hair as he thrust into her, but couldn't as she ended up moving in ecstasy and grabbing onto papers on his desk and crumbling them in her hands.

He bent down and kissed her caesarean scar softly again and again as he began to speed up.

"Más, más rápido," Santana moaned at him (More, faster).

He obliged as he felt himself on the edge. He pulled out before he could spill his seed in her.

"Damn, I made a mess," he laughed as he kissed her lips.

"You did," Santana said with a smile as she hugged him around his neck.

"This is why Paws won't sit in my office or use my desk, he knows what we do here,"

"He's smart,"

Brett smiled back at her as he drew her into a hug.

"We should probably pull our clothes back on before one of your deputies walk back in," Santana said.

"That would be a good idea, but um, do you, would like you like to go for a ride?" Brett asked.

"I already went for a ride,"

"No, not like that, but if it leads to it, great, I meant with Midnight, we could go for a moonlight picnic together, you know like we used to,"

"Yeah, I'd like that,"

* * *

The moonlight picnic was great for the two, Santana had a wonderful time, and Brett was starting to worry less about her recovering as he could see that she was going very well.

Currently she was nestled in his arms as Brett was softly placing kisses on her head.

"Brett, a letter came today for you," she said.

"Yeah, who was it from?" he asked.

"I didn't open it, but I know it's from your father,"

Brett stiffened.

"I know he hurt you," she started.

"No, he hurt us, he really did," Brett said staunchly.

"I know he hurt us, but you're going to have to read whatever is in it someday,"

"I don't want to know what he has to say, if he has anything important for me to do, he can telegram it to me,"

"Brett,"

"No, I don't want to get to know him again, he ruined everyone's life,"

Santana placed a hand softly on his, "Brett, I think you really need to look at that letter, it seemed important,"

"I don't want to look at it,"

Santana just gave him a look.

"Look, I'll look at it later, okay," he finally said.

Once home, Santana went to pick up Ben from Rachel and Quinton's place as Brett looked at the letter but didn't open it, he didn't want to.

As Santana walked in he was about to burn it.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Brett nearly jumped, "Dammit woman, I nearly had a heart attack,"

"Don't burn that,"

"Why?"

"Usted lamentará el quemar de él," (You will regret burning it).

"Ningún no, él soy apenas basura," (No I won't, it's just trash).

"No lo queme por favor, me confían en, yo tienen una sensación que es importante, por favour," (Please don't burn it, trust me, I have a feeling that it's important, please).

Brett sighed, "Autorización, pero solamente porque usted me preguntó a," (Okay, but only because you asked me to).

A knock on the door was heard, which broke them out of their conversation. Brett went to look at the door.

Outside Quinton was standing there looking glum.

"Paws, what's wrong?" Brett asked.

"Bison, I have more bad news for you," he said to him.

"What did my father have to relay to you again?"

"Bison, come with me,"

Brett followed him outside as Quinton motioned for him to sit on the deck chair.

"So, what does my dear old Pa have to tell me now?" Brett asked crossing his arms.

"Bison, your father's dead," Quinton said.

Brett froze. He didn't know that.

"He died about a week ago, alone, your sister said they found his body in his office room, the bureau was wondering why the place stank up, when they opened up his office, he was seen hanging from the ceiling with a letter addressed to you," Quinton finished, "I'm sorry brother,"

"Yeah, well, thanks, I'm going to head in now," Brett said as he stood up.

"They said he suffered from a big drinking and gambling problem too,"

"Then I'm not surprised he decided to die, probably owed too many people money or caught some disease,"

"Brother you'll have to deal with this properly or you'll end up doing something you'll regret,"

"You know how I felt about him so you shouldn't be surprised that I'm not that sad he's gone, in fact, I'm glad he's gone,"

"He was still your father,"

"So?"

"A Pa is always a Pa, whether you like it or not, this has to hurt you in some way,"

Brett didn't say anything as he got up and went back into the house. Quinton sighed as he got up and went back home. Rachel's warm hugs always cheered him up.

Santana was waiting for him in the living room, his father's letter in her hands.

"You knew about this?" he asked almost angrily.

"Just heard from Quinton when I went to pick up the baby," she said.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I was going to but before I could, Quinton was at the door,"

"You lied,"

"No I didn't,"

"Yes you did,"

"Brett, please don't take this out on me,"

"You're a liar,"

"I didn't lie to you,"

Santana tried to walk closer to him but Brett yelled angrily at her as he picked up a vase and threw hard against the wall, it wasn't near her by any means, but his actions terrified her making her shrink, not that he noticed,"YOU LIED TO ME YOU GOD-DAMN WOMAN, WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING FROM ME?"

"Brett, please stop you're scaring me," Santana started as tears pooled at her eyes.

Brett paused for a moment, a part of him was horrified at how he acted, the other part didn't care, he was angry, and he couldn't quite place why, his emotions, his feelings, his thoughts, they were everywhere and he couldn't process them.

Santana again tried to approach him but he recoiled angrily before yelling, "LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE YOU LATINA WHORE,"

As he slammed the door shut, Santana burst into tears as Ben started crying upstairs.

Brett saddled his horse and rode out of the small town.

* * *

**AN 2:** Yes, like I said, Brett's very angry at the moment because there are things he won't ever have closure with. Next chapter I will make him address his feelings and what he's going through.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: **So, just to say that all the words in _italics_ are part of Brett's dream/vision. Also, **Warning**, there are images in his dream that are not pleasant. Possible triggers.

* * *

**Chapter 16:**

Brett rode out for what felt like hours, tears were streaming down his face, his anger was still there, but it wasn't as strong as his despair. What the hell was wrong with him? He had called Santana a whore, she wasn't a whore, well, not really. She was made one by circumstance.

And he hurt her. Not just with his words but with his actions.

He made Midnight run faster until the horse bucked him off angrily in protest and ran away.

Brett felt himself fall to the ground and slam hard into the rocks as he tumbled across the sandy ground.

The last image he saw as his eyes closed from the pain was the starry night.

- Dream-

_"So, you are just like me after all," a man's voice said._

_"What?" Brett said as he sat up and looked around the place, realising he was in the outlands._

_He saw someone he didn't expect, "Pa? What the hell?" he started._

_"You are just like me," his father said to him._

_"I'm nothing like you, I hate you,"_

_"And yet you hurt your wife just as badly as I did,"_

_"You committed infidelity, I'd never do that,"_

_"You took your wife's past and threw it back to her face like she was nothing to you, that hurts just as much,"_

_Brett paused, "No, I,"_

_"You called her a Latina Whore, do you really think that kind of hurt will disappear?"_

_"No, I'm not like you, I'd never hurt my wife,"_

_"But you did,"_

_"I hate you,"_

_"I know you do, but you took it out on your family after you swore you never would,"_

_"I didn't hit her,"_

_"But you scared her, son, you threw a vase, you yelled at her and flailed your arms, what do you think went through her mind as that happened? Hmmm? Do you think she saw her husband or did she see a monster?"_

_"No, no, I," Brett stumbled over his words as he sat down on the rock face behind him, "I didn't mean to say that, I shouldn't have said it,"_

_"Remember what you were taught in church once son? Don't let your anger lead you to sin,"_

_"I know, I just, I'm angry at you, you left, you took the cowards way out,"_

_"There is nothing I can say in this dream vision of yours that will appease you, when you get back, read the letter, please, it details everything to you,"_

_"I can't go back,"_

_"Yes you can,"_

_"And do what? Face my wife who I hurt? I can't, the face of disappointment I can stand on anyone except her, that look on her face, I can't,"_

_"You can, and if you don't, you lose her forever,"_

_And with that, Arthur Pierce disappeared._

_"Wait, Pa, wait, come back here, I want you back here, PA?" Brett yelled as all of a sudden his vision changed._

_-Still Dreaming- _

_He found himself no longer in the desert but at a deserted ravine._

_Brett was confused, what the hell was he doing here, it almost looked like he was back in…Mexico._

_He looked over and saw a woman and her child. The woman turned to face him._

_"Sanny? Sanny, please wait, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, Sanny," he yelped as he ran after her, but no matter how close he got, she was always too far away from him._

_And then he heard the sounds he didn't want to hear, the sounds of the Bollard Gang, "No," he started but found himself stuck, "NO,"_

_"Lookie here boys, a whore and her child, get them, get rid of the child," the leader growled sinisterly._

_"NO, NO, please, NO," Brett screamed as he watched them take Ben away from Santana and cast the screaming child into the ravine._

_Santana was screaming as they held her down._

_"No, don't touch her, you can't touch her," Brett struggled as he had to see images no man ever wanted to see happening to his wife, "You assholes, don't touch her, no,"_

_But Santana was still screaming as Brett tried to break free as the Bollard Gang were ravaging her again and again._

_"No, stop it, STOP IT," Brett screamed as he finally broke free._

_By the time he reached Santana the men had disappeared into dust and only Santana was left._

_"You promised you'd never hurt me," she said as she died._

_"NO, please, I'm sorry, Sanny please come back, I'm so sorry," Brett said as he took the dust that was on the ground and grasped onto it._

_"I told you that death finds her boy," the evangelist said._

_"Shut up, go away, shut up," Brett started as the evangelist disappeared._

_"Death will haunt her,"_

_"No, it won't find her, it won't find her," Brett stammered as he got up, walked backwards and fell, he felt his body hit the rocks and stones as he blacked out for a moment._

_-Still Dreaming- _

_"Well boys, we could sodomite this one, I mean, he don't care about his woman, why does he? She's just a whore," a man's voice said._

_Brett opened his eyes and saw that he was tied up to a post, arms and legs apart, shirtless, the Bollard Gang had him now._

_"You killed my wife," he spat angrily._

_"You killed her boy," the leader said, "I mean you did call her a whore, what man does that? Oh wait a man like us,"_

_"I'm not like you, you guys are monsters,"_

_"Hey, more than one way to hurt someone, there's physical stuff, mental stuff and emotional stuff, or something like that, and you boy, you managed to do all three in one go, well done,"_

_"No,"_

_"She'll never forgive you,"_

_"I,"_

_"You don't deserve her or her forgiveness, but hey, you out of the way makes room my boys and I, don't cha think boys?"_

_The men roared with laughter and howls._

_"I heard them Mexicans were wild in the sack," one man yelled, "Can't wait to try her out,"_

_"NO," Brett yelled._

_"What's it to you boy? You don't care about her," the leader sneered._

_"I do care, I do,"_

_"Do you?"_

_Brett felt himself being hit hard at the back of the head before he finally succumbed to the darkness._

_-End of Dream-_

* * *

"Will he be okay?" a woman's voice asked.

"He will be, if I don't kick the crap out of him for what he said to you," a man's voice said.

"Please don't,"

"Santana, he can't just say things like that, I told him to deal with it before he hurt someone and he didn't listen to me,"

"I know Quinn, I know, but he was really hurt,"

"You were really hurt and terrified when I found you, I know he's angry and I know he didn't mean it, but he shouldn't have said it, boy sometimes forgets that to be a man you need to control your goddamn temper and tongue and not take it out on your wife and family,"

"Where did you find him?"

"Well, Midnight came back without him, Fists, Jaws and I just followed the trail, lucky too because he fell pretty badly, banged his head against rock, and I think he took a small tumble into a short ravine, lucky he didn't fall face first into the river or he would have drowned, we had a time trying to get him out without damaging his body more,"

"Thank you,"

"No problem, doesn't get him off the hook though,"

"Please don't beat him up,"

"Santana I would if he wasn't already physically broken,"

"How long until he heals?"

"A month maybe, I'd say let him heal slowly, he can stay here in the hospital,"

"I can look after him at home,"

"You're not going home with him, you can stay with Rachel and I,"

"No, I can't, he's my husband,"

"And you're forgiving him just like that?"

"Yes, because I love him,"

"Santana,"

"Forgiving does not mean forget, okay,"

"I don't know what to do with him, he's fine one moment the next he's losing his cool,"

"He just lost his father, that means something, even you understand that, right?"

Quinton sighed, "Yeah, it's why I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen,"

"Did you when you heard about your father?"

"No, but I didn't take it out on Rachel either,"

Santana sighed.

"Are you okay though?" Quinton asked.

"Yes, I'll be okay," Santana answered.

"Come, Rachel will take you home, I'll keep you updated on his progression,"

Brett didn't hear anymore as he fell asleep.

* * *

The next time he came to, Brett was staring at the ceiling feeling unresponsive, he just didn't want to talk to anyone.

He was upset, upset that his father was gone, and even more upset that he hurt Santana and Ben.

The door to his room opened.

"Ah, you're awake, good," Quinton was heard saying as he walked in, "You're lucky we found you, broken wrist, bruised ribs, cuts to the head, but you'll mend,"

Brett didn't say anything.

"Santana is not going home with you until you heal, understand?" Quinton finished.

Still Brett didn't say anything.

"Brother, start talking," Quinton said.

Brett couldn't, he opened his mouth but nothing would come out. It was like his words were stuck.

"What?" Quinton asked.

Brett couldn't say anything so he just closed his eyes and turned away.

Quinton sighed as he walked out the door.

That night, Brett got up from his hospital bed and began getting dressed, slowly, but painfully.

He had to get back home, he had to see it.

He managed to sneak out.

Whistling for Midnight to find him, he waited for his horse to show up. Which thankfully it did.

He sat on the horse and rode back to his home.

As he arrived, he got off his horse and took off the saddle before letting the horse roam freely in the paddock nearby.

The house looked cold and empty.

As he got inside, he lit a lamp and looked around.

The shattered vase was still on the ground, a table was over turned, sure it wasn't as bad as he had seen before in other cases in the town, but the scene still made him shudder.

The echoing of what he had said to her that night ran through his head.

It was then that he realised his dream was right, he was just like his father and he had hurt his wife. He broke down in tears as he knelt against the shards of the vase, cutting his fingers against the sharp pieces as he tried to grasp at them and put them together again.

But he knew like that shattered vase, his relationship with Santana wouldn't be the same again, he could try and piece it back together, but the scars and the cracks would always be on show.

He felt a soft hand on his shoulder, it wasn't Quinton's, he knew that, it was a woman, at first he thought it was Santana, but he turned and saw Rachel looking back at him.

His bottom lip trembled as he said out tearfully, "I didn't mean it, I'm so sorry,"

"I know you are, but she's hurting and scared," Rachel said as she pulled him into a hug.

"I just want to tell her I'm sorry,"

"And you will get a chance to do so, just give her time to recover from what has transpired,"

"Why are you here?"

"Because if Quinton came over he'd probably beat you up, he always is a bit touchy when it comes to protecting women he sees as family,"

"Oh?"

"That's a story he will have to tell you, not me,"

"Is she okay? Is Ben okay?"

"Yes, they're okay, Ben just got a fright from the loud noise and Santana, well, we had a bit of a hard time getting her out of her memories,"

Brett felt his heart fall.

"You should go back to the hospital Brett," Rachel said.

"No, I'm going to stay here and clean up, then I'll head to bed, I need to work, I need to figure out what I'm going to do, the Bollard Gang, they're still out there, and they can't have her," Brett started.

"So then rest, okay,"

Brett nodded, "How'd you know it was me coming into the house?"

"Because a thief would have broken a window and stolen things in the dark, not lit a lamp,"

"Right,"

Brett walked Rachel out to the street as he walked her home to her gate.

When there he waved goodbye to her as she went up to Quinton who was waiting for her on their front porch.

Quinton was glaring angrily at him, but otherwise stayed composed.

Brett nodded his head at him which he returned curtly.

At the top left window he saw Santana looking down at him. He gave her a small sad smile and a small wave as he turned around and walked away, unaware that she had lifted up her hand and closed her fingers in a small almost wave at him back.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: **So, **warning** this chapter will be angsty, sad, violent and deals with suicidal thoughts. Reader discretion is advised.

* * *

**Chapter 17:**

Brett was sitting at his desk just staring at paper work.

It had been almost a month since he found out his father had died. He had attended the funeral and Will reading about three days after the news, his father's body was brought to McKinley to be buried next to his mother, not that Brett wanted him there, but he figured it's what his mother would have wanted.

At the funeral was just him and his two sisters and their partners.

His father had left him everything so he gave the houses in Lima and New York to his sisters, as well as the furniture, and he kept whatever assets and money was left for himself.

Currently he was twirling his wedding ring in his hand as he stared at the Will in front of him.

It wasn't his father's Will, it was his own.

Why? Because for the last few weeks no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to apologise right to Santana. Nothing seemed good enough or right.

The first few nights he was on his own in the dark house, then Santana and Ben moved back home, after Quinton punched him in the face then being berated by Rachel for it.

_"Quinton, you don't do that to people," Rachel had said._

_"Since when do you call me Quinton?" Quinton asked._

_"When I'm mad at you, look, we'll talk more about this at home but Brett has being going through stress and depression that you too are too angry and blind to see, so stop it,"_

_"But he," _

_"I don't care, I have seen him the last few days, you have not, let it go, you want to show that you're a man, then act like one, recognise when your brother is hurting,"_

_"But,"_

_"At home,"_

_"Fine,"_

Being home wasn't easy, Santana recoiled, a lot, which he expected, whenever he tried to talk to her and hug her.

He did apologise, he said how sorry he was, he said he didn't mean it, he tried to explain things to the best of his ability. Then he tried to fix it, he tried whatever he could think of trying from apologising, talking to romantic gestures. But Santana just couldn't forget.

_"It's hard to forget what you said," Santana had said to him._

_"I know, and I'm really sorry bonita, I'm sorry I didn't just pause or think, but I was angry at my father, he just, I thought, it felt like everyone was going against me and I couldn't take it," he said._

_"Why'd you call me what you did?"_

_"I didn't mean it, it was the first thing that popped into my head, it was cruel and unneccessary,"_

_"Soy Brett triste, pero usted todavía me asusta" (I'm sorry Brett, but you still scare me)._

When they sat down for dinner it was a hard awkward silence.

When they went to bed, he felt her stiffen as he tried to hold her; forcing him to just go sleep on the couch downstairs so she could rest easy.

When he went near Ben, he could feel her glaring at him, not in an angry way, but in a worried way.

It came to the point that Brett rarely went home anymore.

He remembered something that happened about two weeks ago.

_Brett had come home and Ben was playing happily in his cot, he picked his son up and played with him while tickling his belly._

_He just didn't see the toy on the ground and stood on it with his bare feet._

_"Ow, son of a bitch that hurt," he yelped loudly as he put Ben down and rubbed his foot but managed to somehow knock his head making him yelp even louder and giving Ben a fright._

_The baby cried as Santana rushed up and looked into the room._

_She picked Ben up and cradled him, holding him close._

_"Bonita, I swear, it's not what it looks like, I stood on his toy and hit my head, that's it," he tried as he got up and moved closer to her with his hands out._

_But Santana moved away from him and left him alone in the baby's room._

These days he just slept in his office; surrounded by his work and worked harder than before. He didn't want to cause any more problems at home.

Quinton was busy and still was mad at him for what he did, Rachel was his only visitor, Puck had told him that he did a shit move with Santana and didn't talk to him either. Finn and Jenny were starting a family of their own and were busy.

All in all, he was on his own.

'Maybe my father didn't take the cowards way out, maybe he took the only out he felt he could,' Brett thought to himself as he kept twirling the ring in his hand before sliding it back onto his finger, 'Maybe I am just like him after all,'

He finally finished reading the Will that he had drawn up and signed it.

In event of his death everything he owned would go to Santana and Ben.

He folded the files up then got up to go home, 'I give up,' he thought to himself.

* * *

As he hitched his horse outside of the house, he heard Rachel and Santana laughing. He sighed, 'At least she's laughing again,'

He went to the door and tried to sneak in.

"Brett, you're home early," Rachel said as she and Santana stopped talking.

"Oh, uh, yeah, just wanted to drop off some files, I'll leave them here," Brett said as he was about to make his exit.

"Where are you going?"

"Um, business that can't wait,"

"What type of business?"

"To do with the gang problems around here, I finally have the information I needed,"

"Be safe okay,"

"Sure,"

"Brett, seriously, be safe, are any of the deputies going with you?"

"Of course they are, I wouldn't go alone,"

He didn't notice Santana giving him a hard look.

"I just need to grab something from upstairs," Brett ran up the stairs and grabbed one of Santana's handkerchief's. He put it in his pocket as he raced down the stairs again.

He kissed Ben softly at the top of his head before walking towards Santana and watched her flinch.

He stopped.

"I have to go," Brett said as he looked at Santana, "Te amo y yo lo sienten que apenas no puedo parecer hacer la esta derecha," (I love you and I'm sorry I just can't seem to make this right).

Santana just looked at him but didn't say anything as he sighed again, nodded his head and tipped his hat.

He unhitched his horse and rode off into the sunset, alone.

"Something is not right," Santana said as she got up and looked at the files, "Rachel, what do these mean?"

Rachel went and looked over the files, "They're his Will and Testaments, they're in the event of his death,"

Just then Quinton walked in, "Howdy, did I just hear Brett?" he asked.

"You just missed him, he rode off with his deputies to find the Bollard Gang," Rachel said.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"He said he had to drop off these files and that he was off with his deputies to find the Bollard Gang,"

"Well he's lying, the boys are in the tavern right now drinking and shacking up with the girls,"

Then everything clicked for Santana, "Oh no," she said.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"I know what he's doing,"

"What?"

"Think about it, he finally comes home after so long with his Will, he says he's going to find the Bollard Gang with the deputies, but we know he's going alone, what do you think he's doing?"

"Assisted suicide," Quinton said, "Oh shit,"

"He can't do this," Santana said as she put the files down.

"Stupid boy," Quinton grumbled as Rachel glared at him.

"Now just a cotton picking second Quinton," Rachel started, "You both have been ostracising him for almost a month, leaving him on his own, how do you think he'd feel about that? Hmmm? He has been trying so hard to make things right, I have seen him try, Santana I get it, okay, I understand why you're scared and reluctant, but if you leave a man hanging on for so long, eventually he's going to get tired of trying to hold that bridge in hopes that someone will help him up, eventually it will be too much and he will decide it's time to fall, Quinton, I know he made you angry because of your need to protect Santana, but you should have talked to him instead of yelling at him and making him feel worse,"

"But he shouldn't resort to this," Santana said, "He can't,"

Rachel just looked at her friend, "Have any of you ever given the impression that you'd ever really forgive him and let him try again?"

Santana paused, "But, I do love him, I just need time to adjust,"

"And does he know you still love him?"

Santana couldn't answer.

"And Quinn, you are supposed to be his best friend, his brother, does he know that even though you're mad at him that you at least still care for him, even if Noah and Finn do not seem to anymore?" Rachel asked.

Quinton couldn't say anything either.

* * *

Meanwhile in the outlands, Brett made a small pause with Midnight. He looked at his faithful horse before saying, "Go home, I hope you find a better Master,"

With that, he slapped the horse's backside and watched him run back towards the township.

Brett trekked for a while and he knew he was nearing the hideout.

He sat down by a rock and took a break, taking a small swig from his water can. He took out Santana's handkerchief and tied it around his wrist. He kissed it as he wiped his threatening tears and sweat away.

People would wonder why he didn't take his horse with him, well, that was because he wasn't actually planning on coming out of this alive and he'd be damned if he had his horse killed because he didn't care about his own life anymore.

If he survived he'd take one of their horses, if he didn't, well, his body would be returned eventually, probably dragged behind four of the members horses as they yelled in victory and rode through the town to show that they had killed the sheriff.

When his small break was over, he took out a cigarette and lit it, a habit he had picked up. After a while he put out the cigarette and began walking again.

Once he was over the ridge he saw the gang.

A few members here and there.

He looked through his sniper scope, a few to the side, but most of the men were scattered. You'd think they'd learn not to be.

He started to take them all out. Killing them one after another before sneaking down.

Eventually the gang caught on, it was down to eight men versus him.

Brett shot at them. He managed to get two of them being he felt a bullet hit his shoulder.

'Shit,' he groaned as he hid behind his cover.

"You'll never beat all of us Sheriff," the leader of the Bollard Gang yelled at him.

Brett didn't listen as he got up and ran, firing his pistol as he did, he felt a bullet hit his leg sending him to the ground.

"Hold your fire boys," the leader said.

The six men who were left walked up to him, the leader smirked down at him and kicked him hard in the face.

"You have a death wish boy?" he laughed as the other men kicked his body too, "You really think you can take out all of us?"

Brett groaned in pain as they made him sit up on his knees.

"Strip his shirt off, maybe we can sell it, and what's this? A handkerchief, your missus give this to you?" the leader sneered as he ripped it from Brett's wrists and sniffed, "Hmmm, she smells good, maybe we can pay her a visit,"

Brett, now shirtless and dusty, struggled against them.

"Oh I hit a sore spot, well, here's what's gonna happen, I'm gonna beat you up good, then I'll cut you, and then I'll eat what I want before leaving the rest of you to rot," the leader said as he took out his knife.

He began hitting Brett in the face, every time tall blonde fell, he was made to sit back up again. His right eye was now black and swollen.

"You really do have a death wish, don't you boy, you're not even fighting back," the leader laughed.

Brett didn't say anything.

"What about if I mention that darling wife of yours?" the leader said.

"You'll never find her," Brett spat out as the leader laughed and hit him again before taking his knife and making a deep slice against Brett's left cheek making it bleed badly.

"Now you'll scar pretty, but I guess you won't live long to let heal on your pretty face now," the leader laughed as he hit Brett again, "You came to find your death, well, I'm about to give it to you,"

But before any more could happen, shots were heard as three of the men were shot dead.

"He has back up," one yelled as the leader glared back at him, took out his pistol and aimed a shot at Brett's chest.

Two bangs were heard as Brett felt pain rip through his body, he fell to the ground.

And as he closed his eyes, he almost swore that he heard Santana scream his name.

Before blacking out, he felt wet spots hit his face, 'Was it raining?' he wondered to himself, he couldn't remember seeing storm clouds.

He felt small arms hold him up. His head was cradled against a woman's bosom.

"No haga por favor esto a mí, no me dejan por favor," a woman's voice said to him. (Please don't do this to me, please don't leave me).

Brett slowly opened his good left eye but figured he must be dreaming or dying, or both, "Debo ser muerto o de muerte porque puedo ver un ángel gritador antes de mí," he said as he tried to reach up and touched her face. (I must be dead or dying because I can see a crying angel before me).

"Estoy listo para morir, usted puedo llevar mi alma donde se maldice para ir," he said as he felt his arm drop as he succumbed to darkness. (I am ready to die, you can take my soul to where it is damned to go).

* * *

**AN 2: **So, like I said, angsty, sad. I'm currently on a roll so the next chapter may be up soon.


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: **Okay, so the song is by Brian Adams called 'Sound the Bugle' which is featured in the movie 'Spirit: Horse of the Cimarron'. Lyrics are in **Bold **and word/s with the **bold and the underline** are the word/s I changed.

Again, a **WARNING**, this chapter still deals with suicidal thoughts. Reader's discretion is advised.

* * *

**Chapter 18:**

Brett was singing a tune as he walked towards the ravine, it had been three days since he had woken up, and things just didn't feel right for him.

Sure, Santana, Quinton, Ben and Rachel seemed happy that he was awake again. So did Puck and Finn and Jenny, but he just didn't feel like he fit in anymore.

He wasn't sure why, but a part of him felt like they were just putting on a face with him; that when he was away from them sleeping, the way they really felt about him would surface and that it was that they felt that he was just an annoyance that had woken up and wasted their time.

He couldn't bear it.

So he decided to just end it, if getting shot by the Bollard Gang didn't work, then jumping into a deeper ravine than the one he fell down before would be better and actually end what he didn't want to prolong.

So he kept walking and singing to himself.

**"Sound the bugle now - play it just for me**

**As the seasons change - remember how I used to be**

**Now I can't go on - I can't even start**

**I've got nothing left - just an empty heart**

**I'm a sheriff - wounded so I must give up the fight**

**There's nothing more for me - lead me away...**

**Or leave me lying here**

**Sound the bugle now - tell them I don't care**

**There's not a road I know - that leads to anywhere**

**Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark**

**Lay right down - decide not to go on"**

He got to the edge of the deeper ravine as he stepped closer to the edge and remembered the last few days.

- Flashback -

_The sun shone through the hospital room about three days after the shootout with the Bollard Gang._

_Brett had been unconscious for those three days with Quinton fearing that they were going to lose him._

_He nearly died on the way back to the township._

_The Bollard Gang had all been killed off save for one member who was currently in the town's prison cell. There was potential information he could give about Dutch and his gang as well as the Walton Gang that could prove useful._

_Santana had Ben with her as the two were waiting in Brett's room. Sometimes Ben was on the bed next to him, other times he was curled up on his Daddy's chest._

_Santana was usually found next to Brett's bed as she'd stare at him, waiting for him to open his eyes._

_"The bullet narrowly missed his heart," Quinton said as he grabbed a chair and sat next to Santana, "I managed to get it out, I shouldn't have shot at that guy, he may have missed had I not shot him,"_

_"Or he may have killed him," Santana said._

_"I'm sorry I was too hard on him,"_

_Santana just nodded her head, "I'm sorry I didn't try and at least talk to him,"_

_Brett's face was currently covered in bandages, the bruising was evident almost everywhere on his body._

_"I, uh, managed to get all three bullets out, I couldn't find any others, but his right eye socket may be broken and I'm not sure if he'll ever see out of that eye again, but that remains to be seen, it could just be the swelling, as for the scar on his cheek, it had to be stitched up," Quinton said._

_"How long do you think it'll take him to recover this time?" Santana asked._

_"I don't know, his body may heal, but his mind, I don't know, a part of me wonders why he hasn't woken yet, men have suffered worse and have woken up before him, it's like he's deliberately keeping himself in that state of sleep,"_

_Santana sniffed as she walked up to Brett and slowly took his hand in hers and squeezed, she placed Ben between them so that the child could curl up against his father's arm, "Brett despierta por favor, yo le falta, te amo, me cree por favor cuando digo que le amo," she whispered into his ear. (Brett please wake up, I miss you, I love you, please believe me when I say that I do love you)._

_"Any change?" Rachel asked as she walked up to Quinton and looped her arm through his._

_"No, nothing, he hasn't moved, he hasn't woken up, it's like he wants to stay sleeping," Quinton answered as he carefully pulled Rachel onto his lap, "I don't know why,"_

_"Because in dreams we can do no wrong, it's where we can be heroes and save the day, where if we did something wrong, we can make it right again, we are completely free, why do you think some men never want to wake up again?" she stated rather than asked._

_"So we give him a reason to wake up again," Quinton surmised._

_"Yes, give him a reason to wake up and he eventually will,"_

_Santana looked at Ben who was now sleeping and then at Brett, "Brett, Ben necesita a su papá para despertarse, le necesito para despertarme, por favor despiértese," she whispered at him. (Brett, Ben needs his daddy to wake up, I need you to wake up, please wake up)._

_But still the tall blonde didn't stir._

_As the night was starting to appear, Santana knew that it was time to head back home._

_"Brett, I have to go home with Ben, but I promise you we'll be here in the morning and every day until you wake up, and then we'll go home, the three of us, okay, we can work on our family again, I promise," Santana said as she stood up._

_But before she could move to pick up Ben, she felt Brett squeeze her hand tightly back._

_"Brett?" Santana said as she moved closer to him and put a hand on his head, the other was still grasping his hand back, "If you're waking up, please do it now, please,"_

_Brett began to stir a little bit._

_"Quinn, Quinn, he's moving," Santana called out to Quinton as the other blonde let Rachel jump off him and pick up Ben so that he could rush over and take a look._

_Quinton looked over Brett and tried to open his eye to see if there was movement, but the moment he touched Brett's face the tall blonde started to scream._

_"Help, somebody help me," he yelled as his body thrashed a bit before collapsing on the bed again, "The darkness has me, help me,"_

_"Brett, querido, usted está soñando, él es apenas un sueño," Santana said to him. (Brett, darling, you're dreaming, it's just a dream)._

_Brett's arm all of sudden shot out and tried to grope for her, trying to find her, "Sanny? Sanny I'm sorry, help me, help, los demonios van a conseguirme" (The demons are going to get me)._

_"Brett, escucha mi voz, escucha mi voz, me oye," (Brett, listen to my voice, listen to my voice, hear me)._

_Brett's breathing became erratic._

_"I have to get something to calm him down," Quinton said as he rushed out for his bag and tried to find the medicine required._

_Rachel took Ben out of the room as the child began to wonder why his father was screaming on the bed and it was starting to upset him._

_"Ben, Ben, they threw Ben into the ravine, oh god, Sanny, Sanny, they raped my Sanny, they hurt her, I can't let them win, help me, God help me, the darkness is after me, help me," Brett continued screaming and began thrashing again._

_Through all this, Santana had never let his hand go, tears of feeling his anguish were falling from her face, "Brett, escucha mi voz, es yo Santana, es yo, encuentre la luz en la oscuridad, usted me dijo que hay siempre ligero en la oscuridad, la encuentra, yo están a la derecha aquí," she said strongly to him. (Brett, listen to my voice, it's me Santana, it's me, find the light in the darkness, you told me that there is always light in the darkness, find it, I am right here)._

_Brett took a deep breath and gasped as he sat up properly on the bed and opened his eye. One eye was bandaged so he couldn't see anything, but the other he could see Santana._

_He stopped thrashing just as Quinton returned with a needle to inject him with a sedative; but was still breathing heavily._

_Santana sat on the bed next to him and pulled his head softly to her chest, "Recuerde qué yo le dijo una vez, oiga mi corazón el batir de Brett, todavía está batiendo para usted y es diciéndole que estoy aquí," she said softly to him. (Remember what I told you once, hear my heart beating Brett, it's still beating for you and it's telling you that I am here)._

_Brett circled his arms around her waist as he pulled her into a hug and listened to her heart beating._

_Santana slowly bent down and kissed the top of his sweaty head._

_- Still a flashback - _

_Once it was clear that he was more or less okay, Quinton allowed Brett to go home with Santana._

_The tall blonde was seated in a carriage that carried him home._

_As he slowly got out, he saw his horse Midnight there at the gate._

_"He has been waiting for you," Santana said as she took his hand._

_Brett stiffened a bit, unsure of whether it was really okay or not to take her hand._

_Santana noticed it as she watched him slowly walk into the house._

_"He needs bed rest and has to make sure he doesn't do anything too strenuous, I'll be by in the evenings to check up on him, okay," Quinton instructed Santana as the Latina nodded at him._

_Inside the house, Santana found Brett staring at the envelope that was sitting on the mantel piece, he still hadn't read it._

_"You don't have to read that now Brett, rest, sleep," Santana said as Brett nodded his head and went to the couch, "No, sleep in our bedroom,"_

_"You can't sleep on a couch," Brett said._

_"You and I are going to sleep together in the same bed,"_

_Brett looked confused for a moment._

_"Just like you need to hear my heartbeat, I need to hear yours," she said as she took his hand and lead him upstairs._

_As Brett watched her lay Ben down to sleep by singing him a Spanish lullaby, he waited for her patiently._

_Once in their room, Brett carefully and slowly lay down on the bed, his body ached._

_Santana sat down next to him and took his hand as she placed her right hand against his cheek softly._

_"You're home now, okay," she whispered as she looked at him._

_As she got into the bed next to him, she began to sleep, but he couldn't. He had nightmares and dreams that wouldn't leave him in peace._

_He tossed and turned and finally got up from the bed without waking Santana._

_He looked down at her and walked away to the couch to sleep instead._

_Santana awoke to find that Brett wasn't beside her as she went downstairs._

_Her heart broke, Brett was tossing and turning and trying hard not to scream in his sleep. She placed a hand softly on his chest and moved it up to his face and that seemed to calm him just a little._

_- Still a flashback - _

_Two days had passed now and Brett still wasn't sleeping or resting._

_"He wakes up screaming or incredibly upset, and when he's awake, he doesn't do much, he just sits, he won't talk, he won't eat," Santana said as she cradled Ben, "I'm scared that I'm too late,"_

_"Sometimes, someone we see as a victor can also become a victim," Rachel said, "Brett has been hurting for a month, after his father's funeral his sisters left to deal with their own grief and none of us were there for him,"_

_"You were,"_

_"But I'm not the one he needed,"_

_Santana nodded her head as she kissed the top of Ben's head._

_"How can I stop the nightmares?" she wondered out loud._

_"Give him a reason to live and not be afraid, show him that he still has a family and a home," Rachel answered._

_Santana nodded her head as Brett was heard screaming upstairs._

_"I'll get him, please hold Ben," Santana said as she gave Ben to Rachel and rushed upstairs._

_"NO, NO, get away from me, keep away, no, I didn't mean it, I know it's my fault, it's my fault, I'm so sorry, please leave me alone, I'm sorry," Brett screamed as Santana carefully manoeuvred to him._

_"Brett, Brett, stop, stop, you're dreaming again Brett, it's just a dream, just a dream, amor, it's just a dream," she said to him as she held him._

_Brett opened his eye and looked up to see her looking down at him. He let out a small cry as tears fell from his face, he felt like he was a child again, crying like no one's business because of a scary dream._

_Santana just hugged him._

_The next day, Quinton, Rachel, Puck, Finn, Jenny, Santana and Ben were gathered outside for a meal. Brett was with them, but he was quiet like always no matter how much people tried to talk to him._

_He was just silent as he stared at his dinner and moved it around but didn't eat it._

_"C'mon partner, you gotta eat," Finn said as he strongly patted Brett's back, but the tall blonde still didn't eat. He felt void of emotions, empty. Like nothing fit._

_Ever get that feeling? Like everyone around you is just humoring you because they don't want you to feel left out but really they don't actually want you there?_

_Well that's how Brett felt._

_And as the dinner carried on, eventually Brett decided to himself that there was only one way to fix this problem. He had to find a ravine._

- Flashback End -

Brett sighed, he just didn't know any more about anything.

He didn't want to face this anymore.

As he finished last line of the song he was ready to jump until he heard a woman sing behind him. The sound of horses hooves approaching him eventually came to a stop.

**"Then from behind - somewhere in the distance**

**There's a voice that calls, 'Remember who you are'**

**If you lose yourself - your courage soon will follow**

**So be strong tonight - remember who you are**

**Yeah you're a soldier now - fighting in a battle**

**To be free once more - yeah, that's worth fighting for"** a voice sang behind him as she approached him and hugged him around his waist.

"Brett, please stop," Santana said as she hugged his waist tightly.

Brett looked down at her.

"Please," she begged.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"I know you are, I know, and I'm sorry too,"

"You don't have to be sorry,"

"Yes I do,"

"I was bad,"

"You were hurt,"

"So were you,"

"I know, but I should have talked to you like you should be talking to me,"

"What's there to talk about? I can't fix anything,"

"I don't think we need to fix what we have, I think we need to rebuild it,"

"What's the difference?"

"Fixing something means it goes back to what it once was, it may be stronger and better but at the end of the day you can still see the cracks and there's a danger of it breaking again, rebuilding means we start over from the ground up, make strong the foundations, work out what's weak and do our best to strengthen it,"

"I guess,"

"Brett soy triste que usted ha estado dañando, y tan cliched como es éste, yo lo siento que no estaba allí, sino que ahora estoy aquí para usted, nosotros que todo está aquí para usted," (Brett I'm sorry that you have been hurting, and as clichéd as this is, I'm sorry I wasn't there, but I am here for you now, we all are here for you).

"¿Qué sobre usted? Le llamé una puta, de que no tengo razón," (What about you? I called you a whore, that's not right).

"Ningún no es, y era y todavía la dañó que mi propio marido me llamaría eso, pero trabajaremos con esto, yo le perdimos casi dos veces, yo no estamos dejando la tercera vez seamos el tiempo que usted se lleva de mí," (No it's not, and I was and still am hurt that my own husband would call me that, but we will work through this, I nearly lost you twice, I'm not letting the third time be the time you are taken away from me).

"Sanny I apenas quisiera que las cosas volvieran a cuáles eran, yo quiere retirar esa noche cuando le llamé una puta, usted no es una puta, yo lo siente," (Sanny I just want things to go back to what they were, I want to take back that night when I called you a whore, you're not a whore, I'm sorry).

"Sé que usted lo siente, usted ha dicho tan muchas veces, y le perdonan, yo todavía le ama Brett y yo siempre voluntad, trabajaremos con esto y nos reuniremos mejores," (I know you're sorry, you have said so many times, and you are forgiven, I still love you Brett and I always will, we will work through this and we will get better together).

"Promise?"

"I promise,"

Brett gave her a small smile that she hadn't seen in a long time as he stepped back from the edge and let Santana lead him to his horse and the two rode home.

* * *

**AN 2:** So the family are on a road to recovery, I will admit it is never easy trying to write a way for person to apologise to another and have things work out. Everyone has their own opinion as to how it should work and it should go.  
It was a bit hard to write because it went from Santana being the victim to Brett being a victim too; that in itself was just how the story panned out. I tried numerous ways to write it out and this one was the way it worked out best.

Next chapter we won't have much of a Sad Panda Brett, maybe a flashback, but it will be a move back to happier times and remember that this is a Western Drama, so it won't be "quiet" for too long. There's still Dutch's Gang and the Walton Gang that Brett has to take care of.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN:** Hey all, I really do apologise for not updating this in...well ages, and I know how annoying that can be.  
I won't bother offering up excuses for it, but I will apologise for taking a while.

I hope you will enjoy Chapter 19.

Just a heads up though, it's kinda **Long**.

* * *

**Chapter 19:**

Okay how did she do it? Seriously, how did Santana even do it?

Brett was surprised, as were Quinton, Puck and Finn. They had no idea how she did it. Seriously. And they were there when it happened.

What was surprising them right now? Well, Santana had calmed down a Mustang, a Kentucky Saddler, tough to tame and it was fast, anyway that was beside the point, Santana calmed the damn thing down when no man could. And it was by pure accident.

Brett had gone with Quinton, Puck and Finn to one of the ranches not far from McKinley Town to help one of the rancher's there break his horses, they were going well; Santana decided to join them with Ben; and as she looked around the ranch a bit, the three men got to work.

Puck was pleased to get the day off from being a gunsmith, Quinton needed a break from being a doctor and Finn decided to tag along.

The three men had broken one horse each, which was good for the rancher, but the mustang wasn't going to be broken, it refused to be broken.

As they left the beast on its' own for a bit, they took a break drinking their suds and smoking a cigarette.

Santana had come looking for them holding Ben as she saw the horse.

She let out a small clicking sound at the animal, attempting to call it over to her, the horse had paused and looked at her from the corral.

"Venga el aquí salvaje," she said to him. (Come here wild one).

The horse snorted at her as it walked over to her and dipped its head so she could pat it.

"Usted es un caballo hermoso," she said as she patted his neck then his side. (You are a beautiful horse).

"Would you like to ride him?" the Rancher asked.

"Oh I can't, I have a baby," Santana started.

"You're not sticking my wife on that horse sir," Brett said as he put out his cigarette and raced over.

"Son, I've never seen a horse do that with anyone," the Rancher said, "I think he likes her,"

"It's not safe,"

"Son, just trust me, I've been around horses long enough to know, and if it weren't for my busted leg that I got from them damn gangs trying to attack us here, I'd be breaking the horses in myself,"

Brett sighed as he looked at Santana.

She just nodded her head at him as he took Ben from her.

"If he gets too wild, roll away and come straight here," Brett said as he kissed her cheek.

"I will,"

Santana let out a breath as she approached the mustang.

The horse just looked at her.

"Hola, por lo visto se supone que brinco sólo a su espalda y le hago llevarme, pero no sé por qué debería si no me quisiera a," she said to him as she drew closer and patted his shoulder before patting his neck. (Hello, apparently I'm supposed to just jump on your back and make you carry me, but I don't know why I should if you didn't want me to).

The horse snorted at her as she somehow managed to clutch onto his mane and jump onto his back.

The mustang was shocked at first so he started to run around a bit and buck every so often.

But Santana held no fear with him.

"Calme el salvaje," she said. (Calm down wild one).

The horse eventually calmed down and slowed to a walk as Santana lead him over to the men.

"How the hell did your woman do that?" Puck asked.

"I have absolutely no idea," Brett said.

"Well little lady," the Rancher said, "Guess you can keep this one,"

"I can?" Santana asked.

"Yeah, none of the men could do what you do did, I reckon it means you're meant to have this horse, damn shame though, it would have been a good one to keep,"

"Oh, I'm sorry,"

"Nah don't be, things happen, it wasn't meant to be,"

"Thank you sir, what do I pay you?"

"Brett's broken many horses for me, consider this a thank you,"

"Okay, thank you sir,"

The man smiled as he walked off.

"Brett look, I now have my own horse," she said smugly.

"How the hell did you do that? None of us could break the damn thing," Brett exclaimed as Ben looked proudly at his Mama, though why he was proud he didn't know, he just loved his Mama.

"Woman's touch,"

"Yeah, yeah, so, what's the name of the horse?"

"Salvaje," (Wild One).

"Really?"

"Yes, because he is a wild one,"

"True, good name,"

"Thank you, now I want my baby back,"

"But he's my baby too,"

"My baby,"

"Get off the horse first,"

"Fine,"

Santana jumped off the Salvaje and took Ben in her arms.

Brett just smiled, yes the family were going well and were on the mend.

Ben was now nearing a year old, Brett was back to full strengths and still working as the town sheriff; and Santana was having fewer episodes of where she would have flashbacks of her hard and dark past.  
Though occasionally Brett would still get nightmares, he didn't thrash around as much and Santana and he would sleep peacefully through the night.

With his work, he had leads on the Walton Gang and was close to tracking them down, thanks to the last member of the Bollard Gang that was captured, the man remained in prison and was moved to a different city on the coast; the only scary part though was that Brett had heard tales of cannibals lurking around the same area where the Walton Gang was said to be.

That thought made him shudder, how a man could eat the flesh of another was beyond him.

There wasn't much he could do on the Dutch Gang front, but with new gangs emerging, he had his hands full either way.

He whistled for Midnight to come to him as the black horse showed up and waited by his side.

"Well Midnight, this is Salvaje, you officially have a partner now," Brett said as Midnight snorted at him, "Hey now, not like that,"

The small family rode home, Ben was sitting in the saddle with Brett and holding onto the horn of the saddle, Santana was riding on Salvaje bareback.

"Sanny, we have to get you a saddle when we're in town," Brett said.

"Okay, but maybe tomorrow, I have to cook dinner and you have paper work to do," Santana said.

"I know, I hate paper work,"

"Part of life I'm afraid,"

"Yeah, yeah,"

When the family arrived home, Santana went into the house with Ben as Brett decided to let the horses go into the newly acquired paddock he bought for his horse, as well as Quinton's, Puck's and Finn's.

"Sheriff, Sheriff, I got, Sheriff," the teen boy said as he nearly collapsed into Brett's arms.

"Hey son, what can I do for you?" Brett asked.

"Sir, I gotta, you gotta help me,"

"What's wrong?"

"My Ma, she disappeared over the hills that way, and I'm real worried, there are stories of man eaters up there,"

"Okay son, tell me what her name is and what she looks like,"

"Um, well,"

"Come now son,"

"Okay, my Ma's name is Maggie, she is Jewish sir, no one wants to help us, they say we're the reason that bad things are happening,"

"That's a lie son, people just fear what they don't know and they always need someone to blame, now can you tell me more?"

"Yes, she has black hair, brown eyes, she was wearing her evening gown, she was trying it on for Pa, I heard her screaming and then she was gone, please find her Sheriff,"

"I will do my best,"

"Please find my Ma, I hope them cannibals didn't get her,"

"I hope they didn't too,"

As the boy ran off, Brett sighed as he saddled Midnight again..

"¿Brett, dónde va?" Santana asked him. (Brett, where are you going?).

"Bonita, a boy needs me to find his mother before the cannibals do, so I have to go," Brett said.

"Please be careful,"

"I will,"

"And when you get back…"

Brett looked up at her and felt himself turn hot under the collar, when she paused like that and gave him _that_ look it could mean only one thing….sexy times.

It was a term she had coined up just for the two of them and he loved it….all of it.

"I uh, well, I will, I will do my job and I will come back to do my 'job'," he stuttered.

"You better," she smiled as she waved goodbye.

* * *

Brett had a goofy smile on his face as he rode to the station to meet up with one of his new constables, Jonah.

"Hey boy, you ready to ride out with me?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Jonah said enthusiastically as he ran over to where his horse was hitched.

"You sure you don't want us to come with?" Elias, one of his deputies asked.

"Naw, we'll be fine," Brett answered as he went out to meet up with Jonah.

Jonah was a young man who was rescued by Brett when he was being hauled behind some horses by a small bandit crew about three months ago.

Brett had come outside when he heard the noise and shot the four men off their horses before shooting Jonah free from the rope.

He had taken him to see Quinton to check him over as two of the deputies arrested the men.

Since then Jonah decided he wanted to work with Brett and was now living with him in the house.

Santana found him a funny thing, the boy was only about sixteen years old, but he worked hard and he loved to help when he could.

Quinton used to tease Brett that if he didn't watch it, Jonah would win Santana over. The only reason he said that was because Jonah would stumbled with whatever it was he was doing and spluttered that he'd never do that. It was rather hilarious.

_"How'd I go from having a baby son to a boy?" Brett had asked Quinton._

_"Think of him like a brother, I mean, we ain't that much older than him," Quinton laughed._

_"Yeah, I guess, I mean we're just passed our mid-twenties, he is what? Fifteen?"_

_"Sixteen,"_

_"Right,"_

_"He's a good boy, works hard, easy to jerk around,"_

_"You just love making him squirm,"_

_"It's funny, I can't do it to you no more, you don't fall for shit,"_

_"That is true,"_

_"Mr Brett, I finished feeding the horses, may I go back to the house?" Jonah asked as he approached Brett and Quinton._

_The boy had sandy blonde hair and could have passed for Brett's very young brother actually._

_"Sure thing," Brett said._

_"Just don't try and win Santana over or Brett will have you hanged," Quinton added._

_"Win her over? Mr Brett, I assure you sir, I'm not, I won't, I'm not going to win Mrs Santana over, I know she's taken sir, I wouldn't, I, I just, I, I mean she sure is pretty sir, but she is married, I'm a moral man, uh, boy, sir, devout catholic sir, I won't take her, I won't even try sir," Jonah stammered._

_"Jonah, I know, go inside, read, you want to be a good constable, I want you to be able to do more than just point a gun, I want you to be able to read," Brett said as he dismissed him as Quinton laughed._

_"Yes sir,"_

_"See, he's a good kid," Quinton said._

_"Yeah, poor kid though, family owned a ranch not too far from here at Tumbleweed, place is now a gang hideout, abandoned, they murdered everyone and he was living off them without them knowing until one day he was careless and got caught, they dragged him for almost six hours before coming through here,"_

_"He's a fighter,"_

_"Yeah, maybe we should train him up, we need new blood in the rings,"_

_"True, we'll think it over,"_

_"How's your stake going though?"_

_"Well, the stakes are still there, property people wanna build on it though, progress or something like that, codswallop I say,"_

_"Yeah, progress in who's opinion and why?"_

_"Exactly,"_

_"There is still gold around, I know it,"_

_"Again, exactly,"_

Brett pulled himself out of that memory as he rode out of town with Jonah, the young boy was nervous, as most would be on their first mission, Brett remembered that he was when he first came to McKinley.

"Just keep calm and don't take your gun out unless you have to," Brett said as the two rode away.

"Yes sir," Jonah said as he adjusted his hat.

"Jonah, stop calling me sir, it's Brett,"

"But,"

"What did I just say?"

"Okay Sir…Brett,"

Brett just sighed and shook his head with a smile.

The two rode through the wastelands before reaching the bottom of a small mountain range, it wasn't massive or anything, would take a good hour to get up to the summit with a horse, but it was doable.

Brett had spotted tracks on the ground.

He got off Midnight as Jonah got off his horse Tracker.

"What is it?" he asked almost too loudly as Brett shushed him.

"These tracks are fresh, look, trial goes that way, we need to be on our guard, they're close," Brett said as Jonah nodded, trying his best not to let his fear get to him.

The two walked for about fifteen minutes when crying could be heard.

"I'm gonna eat you up, but first I'm gonna fuck you good, been a long time since I had a woman and damn you looking mighty fine, and your pussy looks so good," a man snarled as a woman could be heard crying and sobbing.

"Please, please leave me alone, let me go, please," she begged.

"Man's gotta eat and a man gots needs,"

"Please,"

The man didn't listen to her as he advanced, Brett surveyed the area and realised they were the only two there, so he shot the man in the legs as Jonah jumped out and hogtied him.

The woman screamed in shock as she tried to cover her body that was bloodied as her dress was torn.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's me, Sheriff Pierce, I'm here to take you home," Brett said as he cut the woman loose, "Your son asked me to find ya,"

The woman cried as she clung onto him in a tight hug.

"You're safe now, I will take you home," Brett said as he patted her back softly.

"You bastard, that was my meal," the man yelped as Jonah deliberately tied the ropes tighter.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Hurting an innocent woman like that," Brett said angrily, "We'll find the rest of your buddies and we'll hang the lot of you,"

"Ain't going to find them boy,"

"I will find them,"

"You gotta be looking through a lot of my shit then because that's the only way you'll find them, they were damn good,"

Brett shook his head in disgust.

"C'mon sheriff, you telling me that that woman don't look mighty fine to eat, looks good to fuck too," the man said almost drooling.

"I'm a married man," Brett said.

"Ain't we all?"

"I'm a loyal married man,"

"You're an idiot, why have just one pussy? You should have fun with as many as you want,"

"Because unlike you, I love my wife and I have a sense of morality, gag him Jonah, we'll take him back to McKinley,"

"Hey, hey, I got protection, them angels will save me,"

"You are out of your damn mind,"

Jonah gagged the man before they all rode back to McKinley.

Brett instructed Jonah to put the cannibal in a small cell with the gag still on and hogtied so that he wouldn't move as he was taking the woman to the hospital.

Once the woman was being looked after at the hospital and the cannibal was locked away so that sentencing could happen the next day, Brett decided to head home with Jonah.

"Would you like me to look after Ben, sir, Brett?" Jonah asked Brett who looked at him, "So you can have the night with the missus,"

"That would be great, go see Paws and Rachel," Brett said.

"Yes sir, I like Miss Rachel, she's really nice and has a pretty voice,"

"Oh, and I have a nice mean little trick for you to play on Paws,"

"Yes?"

"If he ever says to you again that you're trying to steal Santana, just say to him that you aren't after Latina's, BUT, you do like them Jewish girls with beautiful voices,"

"Won't he beat me up?"

"Not with Ben he won't, and it will leave him gaping for quite a while, besides, Rachel won't let anything happen to you,"

"Okay,"

"Oh, and we were wondering, wanna learn how to be a fighter? We used to do them often when this used to be a digging town, it's how I earned my name Bison, you can call me that sometime too if you like, we'll even give you a name?"

"For reals?"

"Yeah, us miners, we're family and when we train others they become part of the family, why do you think I always call Paws, Paws, as opposed to Quinton?!"

"Thanks Bison,"

"Good boy, you'll earn a name, you'll see,"

Jonah entered the house with Brett and said goodbye to Santana as he took Ben with him, leaving Brett and her alone in the house.

"So, Mr Pierce," Santana said as she walked up seductively to him and let her dress fall from her shoulders, making Brett literally stumble into his arm chair as he tried to breathe right, "Are you awake enough to live up to your name?"

"Oh believe me, I'm up," Brett stammered as he looked at Santana's body and reached out to run his hands from her hips up to her breast.

He pulled her close to kiss her neck, taking in her perfume as she gave a small moan while she fumbled with his belt buckle.

He moved his hips as he moved out of his pants as Santana then got rid of his shirt and undershirt.

"Live up to your name," she whispered into his ear as she freed him from his drawers making him moan.

He was so out of it that he managed to slip out of the chair and onto the floor.

"Ow," Santana laughed as he landed on top of her.

"Sorry bonita," he blushed as he kissed her.

"Just shush and pierce me,"

"Shall oblige," he said as he kissed her lips and slid in making her gasp as he grasped her hands in his.

As they moved he kissed her neck and sucked on it as she let go of his hands and circled them around his neck so she could run her hands through his hair.

She kissed his forehead as she managed to open her eyes and look at him with a smile.

He smiled back.

"Te amo," he said.

"Te amo," she said back.

About an hour later, Brett smiled as he stretched his arms over his head and sat up on the bed.

How those two got to the bed he couldn't quite remember, but he knew they got there.

Santana was currently just dozing on the bed next to him as he kissed her shoulder and pulled her close.

She moaned a bit and let out a contented sigh as she turned to look at him, her fingers brushing along the scar on his cheek.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi, so, did I live up to my name? Was I awesome?" he asked with a smile.

"Maybe, I don't know, I need to have you again and again just to make sure,"

"I can oblige,"

"Not now,"

"Tease,"

"Well, there is one thing you can do if you want more,"

"And that would be?"

"Quit with the smoking,"

"I'm cutting down bonita,"

"Good, I don't need my husband smelling like ash, no me gusta," (I don't like it).

"Sorry,"

Santana kissed him.

"So uh, can we go again?" he asked giving her a look.

Santana just smiled as she pulled him on top of her.

Later that evening, Brett was going through some paper work on his desk in their bedroom.

Santana was downstairs with Ben and Jonah cooking a family dinner.

He sighed, he hated the paper work, there was always too much to do and he hated that.

As he shifted through his work an envelope fell to the floor.

It was the letter from his father.

He gaped at that.

It is surprising what can be forgotten and left in the cracks when you choose not to dwell on it.

Brett stared at the letter he had never opened since his father's death.

And with the upcoming anniversary of the death of his mother, his sibling and his father, he felt that perhaps it was time to.

Picking the letter up from the floor he opened it up and began to read it.

_Dear Brett,_

_Son, I am so sorry that Santiago Lopez found out about Santana, I didn't even know he found out because of me, I swear it son, someone must have told him because I have never met him before._

_I will admit, I was venting about you getting married to that Latina, and I think I always will be annoyed, there were other potential girls from our community and you had to marry her._

_But that is beside the point, you married her, you bedded her, she is with you until death do you part._

_I am sorry that you lost your mother and your brother, yes, the child was going to be a boy._

_I am sorry for a lot of things._

_But there is one thing I am not sorry for and that is that you turned out to be a good man and you have made me proud son._

_I have to make this quick, I have a safety deposit box with an alias name and I need you to retrieve it to read it – someone is screwing us over in the bureau, I know it._

_Just last week Simmons and Micah were out getting information on Dutch and on Santiago (the man is planning on coming back to America, I don't know why son and I don't know when, but I will advise caution, be careful of him), anyway, on that information mission only Simmons made it back alive, Micah was killed, someone is selling us out at the bureau; that's the only way anyone could have known that we were trying to get more information.  
_

_From what I can tell from what I have gathered on my own is that Dutch is moving towards McKinley, he's coming after you, I know it. Be careful son, please be careful._

_I don't know who is selling us out, but a few of my men have gone missing or are showing up dead._

_I also found out after you yelled at me at the funeral that there was a bounty on your wife's head, Santiago made an offer of over one thousand American dollars to have her found and returned._

_Likewise someone is being paid off by Dutch, I am sure of it._

_He's been getting more money as the time has gone by._

_Someone is tracking me son, I don't know who it is. But this person is working with Dutch, I am sure of it._

_The safety deposit box is in the town where you became your own man, you will be able to locate it, just remember the maiden matriarch and you will be able to access it._

_I am sorry son, I wish I could make right what went wrong between us._

_You are a good man Bison, a very good man and I hope you will treat your wife right. Blessings to you my son._

_Love from your Father_

_Arthur Pierce_

Brett dropped the letter on the ground as he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. His father was innocent, sort of.

"Brett, dinner," Santana said as she came into the bedroom and saw the letter on the floor, "Darling?"

"Santana, my father, he didn't commit suicide, I am sure of it," Brett said as he looked up at his wife.

"Brett, what are you saying?"

"The letter, I opened it,"

"Brett?"

"There was a bounty on your head,"

"What?"

"Your father put a bounty on your head, anyone who could return you back to Mexico would get a thousand US,"

"I didn't realise that,"

"Neither did I,"

"I wonder why my father hasn't tried to get me back since,"

"Few theories, one, he's worried I will kill him, because I threatened him that I would,"

"Brett,"

"Two, he's bidding his time, waiting for the right moment, setting the right trap, three, he's working with Dutch to do so,"

Santana began to tremble a bit.

"I swear to you, I will keep our family safe, I will keep you safe bonita, he won't hurt you again," Brett said as he stood up and pulled Santana into a hug and kissed her lips softly and then her head, "I will not lose you,"

Santana just nodded her head as she took in his cologne, it gave her some comfort.

"You were saying about your father," she started as she looked up at him.

"My father wasn't to blame for yours finding us, he was for my mother's death, but not for almost killing you," Brett started, "Someone murdered him, and I am going to find out who and I am going to kill them,"

* * *

**AN 2:** Dun, dun, duuuuun! Slight twist, hope you all enjoyed that, I will work the best I can on the next chapter.

And if you were wondering why travel was taking so long, remember, Western, no cars, no planes, just horses, and the trains are expensive and you can get caught if not careful. (At least that's my reasoning - Lol).


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

Brett let out a breath as he entered the Bank of McKinley, this was where his father had the safety deposit box, now all he had to do was say the alias of whom he was picking it up for.

Santana had actually figured it out and when she did, he couldn't believe he didn't notice it sooner.

_"The maiden matriarch, what the hell does that mean?" Brett wondered out loud._

_"Maybe it's the Mother Mary," Jonah said._

_"No, my family are Dutch Reform, my father would never go for that,"_

_"Um, maybe it's a Saint,"_

_"Again, not Catholic,"_

_"Well I'm stumped,"_

_"Me too,"_

_"It's actually quite simple," Santana said as she joined the boys and pecked Brett's lips as she sat on his lap._

_"Simple?" Brett wondered as he circled his arms around her waist._

_"Yeah, Maiden Matriarch,"_

_Brett gave her a confused look as Jonah gave her a look too._

_"Okay let's break it down, obviously he knew that you'd be around a woman in order to work this out," Santana teased._

_"Darling," Brett almost whined…, okay he whined._

_"Think about it, okay, he reversed it,"_

_"Reversed it?"_

_"Think of a matriarch first,"_

_"Okay,"_

_"What's a matriarch?"_

_"A woman,"_

_"Or more specifically when it comes to family?"_

_"A mother, a mother, oh my god, a mother,"_

_"Yes, now think of a maiden,"_

_"A young woman?" Jonah tried._

_"No, no, my father would think of something else," Brett said, "Oh my god, it's so simple, maiden matriarch, that's my mother, her name is Abigail,"_

_"So you'll just go to the bank and get the box under Abigail Pierce?"_

_"No, I'd get it under the name Abigail Stewart, my mother's maiden name,"_

_"See, simple," Santana said._

_"Thank you," Brett said as he kissed her lips softly._

So, here he was, waiting at the bank for his turn to be served. Jonah was out for the day with Puck and Finn building a barn at a ranch and wouldn't be back for a while, at least that's what he told him.

"Hello Sheriff, how can I help you today?" the banker asked.

"I'm here to pick up a safety deposit box," he said.

"Ah, name?"

"Abigail Stewart,"

"Right, I'll just go look,"

About ten minutes later the banker returned with the box.

"Just sign for it, um, do you want to take all the contents sheriff?" the banker asked.

"Yes, problem?" Brett asked.

"No, just wondering if you'll need the box at any stage,"

"Yeah, hold it for me, okay, I may need to come back and store it,"

"Will do Sheriff, so, why you picking this stuff up for Abigail?"

Brett paused for a moment, "Abigail is unable to get it herself, so I'm doing it for her," he replied.

"Okay sir,"

As Brett stowed the documents safely into his satchel, he began his ride home, but first he figured he'd pop by the station to grab some of his documents and notes.

"Howdy partner, what are you doing?" Elias asked as Brett put the last of his work into his satchel.

"Just heading home Elias, you able to look after the station for me?" Brett asked.

"Yeah, any reason you're heading home?"

Brett wanted to tell the truth, but he didn't trust anyone but Santana, Quinton, Rachel and Jonah, so he lied and said, "Yeah, have to do some stuff with the missus, so I figured I'd bring some work home,"

"Oh right, say no more,"

Brett tipped his hat at his deputy as he rode home.

Once home, he let Midnight go in the paddock and entered the house.

"Oh my god," Jonah was heard moaning in his bedroom upstairs making Brett's eyebrow raise a bit as Santana was heard giggling.

He walked up the stairs slowly and quietly.

"Holy, Jesus, oh my god," Jonah was heard again, "Okay, seriously, holy, lower,"

_'Lower?'_ Brett thought to himself as he went towards the door.

"Wow, you're seriously so good at this," Jonah said.

"I have my talents," Santana was heard saying.

Brett furrowed his brow as he paused outside the door, he wanted to burst in with a yell, then figured it's probably not what he thought it was.

"OW, HOLY GOD," Jonah yelped.

"What have we learnt today?" Santana was heard asking in a tease.

"Stuff, with, oh god,"

Brett slowly opened the door of Jonah's room and smirked as he puffed up his chest and stood tall.

"What the hell is going on here?" Brett asked as he crossed his arms and pretended to be angry.

"Oh my, Bison, it's, it's not what it looks like, I swear," Jonah stuttered as he bolted up from the bed.

"So, you decided it was a good idea to bed my wife, I should hang you for this,"

"No, I wasn't, I swear, she was just, I, her fingers are really good,"

"Just digging yourself a hole boy,"

"I, I swear, I just, I, I,"

"Brett, stop teasing him, he's about to have a heart attack," Santana berated at him and laughed as she stood up and kissed Brett's lips.

"I, Bison, I swear I wasn't being indecent, Miss Santana was just massaging my legs and feet after I stayed out too long standing on the barn rafters at the Stablers Ranch, I was fixing their beams with Fists and Jaws and I was just, I was just, I'm not used to it, and I was running too much and didn't stretch and I, I swear Bison I wasn't being indecent,"

Brett just started laughing, "I know boy, I was just teasing you, although, you should be glad it was me walking in, if Paws or Jaws did, you'd probably be done for,"

Jonah gulped a bit.

"Relax, okay,"

"Yes sir,"

"Listen, I have some work to do, I just got the files, want to go through them with me?"

"Yeah,"

"Listen, tell no one about what we're doing, I'm trusting you with my family and my life here, okay,"

"Yes sir, you're my brother, I wouldn't betray my brother for all the money in the world,"

"Thanks,"

As the two went to the desk in the Master Bedroom, they sat down and began going through all the paper work, Brett lit his pipe and began to smoke a bit.

"Bison, your father went into great detail with this, looks like Dutch had networks, and someone was helping him by giving him underground stuff for cheap, he's sponsoring someone, and it looks like there's another person who's helping him out," Jonah said.

"Yeah, looks like it," Brett said as he blew some smoke out.

"But why? Why would they do this?"

"Greed boy, most powerful thing in this world, the love of money and the love of power, don't matter to some men who they kill as long as they get the gold and riches and the power,"

Brett flipped through the files and read all the notes, they stopped short of showing how Dutch was making his way to McKinley.

This was worrisome, and there were some notes about Santiago Lopez working in cohorts with the man. This was definitely not good.

From what he could see, Dutch was backing Santiago with money for his upcoming elections as long as Santiago was supplying him with the goods for his black market.

Brett shuddered at that, no wonder the man was rich. He was glad he got Santana out when he could.

On top of that, Dutch wanted nothing more than to create chaos and anarchy, now Brett understood the need to be away from bureaucracy, he really did, he just didn't like Dutch's philosophy, it was a dark twist of Robin Hood. Dutch had been recorded as beating and raping women wherever he went and sodomising men after torturing them.  
He didn't even spare children. Brett couldn't read that part of the report, it was too terrifying and heartbreaking and his heart wept for those children especially.  
Dutch stole from almost everyone and he beat those he felt didn't deserve money, even hard working ranchers. The money didn't go to the poor, it just went to him and his men. With Williamson out of the way, it looked like all the money was now going to him.

"I can't read this part Bison," Jonah said as he closed one of the reports.

"I know, neither can I," Brett said as he blew out some smoke.

"Why would men do this to other men?"

"I don't know son, some men just ain't right in their heads,"

Jonah looked at him.

"What?" Brett asked.

"You called me son," Jonah said.

"So I did, why?"

"It means a lot to me, you know,"

"I see, well I can keep calling you that if you'd like, don't know why, I mean, I could call you brother, you called me that,"

"But son sounds better for me,"

"Don't that make me your Pa then?"

"Yeah, I like it,"

Brett just laughed a bit at that, "You're showing your age boy,"

"I'm only sixteen, and I've never really had a father before,"

Brett just smiled sadly at him as he puffed a bit more on his pipe.

"Boys, I need one of you please, oh and Quinton's here," Santana yelled up the stairs.

Jonah looked up at Brett who looked at him again.

"I need to talk to Quinton, I think you and I will be going to Blackwater with him to investigate more," Brett said, "You go help out your Ma, son,"

Jonah nodded his head with a smile as he ran downstairs.

Brett greeted Quinton as he went downstairs after packing away all the documents.

"My father was murdered Paws, I know it," Brett said as he sat down on the porch outside and smoked his pipe with Quinton.

"Are you certain?" Quinton asked as he lit his own pipe and sat down.

"Yeah, someone in the bureau knew he was closing in on Dutch's Gang, someone who was gaining money from Dutch, plus my father claims that he never directly told Santiago where Santana was, that he had spoken to a group of his buddies and one of them must have said something to Santiago, did you know that there was a large reward for Santana's return?"

"No, I didn't know that,"

"Yeah, someone wanted that money, it was about a thousand American,"

"Hot damn,"

"That's what I thought, I just, I can't believe that it's happening to our family, to our country, Dutch is not the hero he thinks he is, he's not bringing peace and balance, he's bringing chaos, and someone in that bureau is willing to disrupt our peace and for what? Money?"

"Sometimes people are just too damn greedy they lose sight of what's important,"

"Scary that there is a corrupt man in the bureau, I just can't think, it hurts my heart, and my mind,"

"Ain't they all crooks?"

Quinton laughed as Brett said, "You know what I mean,"

"Yeah I do,"

"I have to find out who betrayed my family, all this time I believed it was my father when really he was probably innocent,"

"Yeah,"

"I should have listened to him that day, I should have tried to talk, now it's too late,"

"Then make up for it,"

"I will,"

"So, you need me to come with, brother?"

"I trust you like I trust no one else, except Santana of course, but I'm not putting her in the firing line,"

"Thanks, I never realised you wouldn't mind if I got killed,"

"Not like that brother, and you know it, besides, Jonah's good, but he's still green,"

"I know, boy coming with?"

"Yep,"

"Hey boys, you coming in for dinner?" Santana asked.

Brett nodded his head and stood up.

"I'll get home," Quinton said as he stood up.

"You can stay," Santana said.

"Naw, Rachel and I, we're having a night out tonight, then I'm gonna take her to the digs to see the stars, and then, well, I ain't gonna tell you what I'm gonna do, but you can probably guess,"

Santana laughed as Brett waved bye and tipped his hat at Quinton who returned the gesture to the two of them and left.

That night, as Brett put Ben down to sleep and Jonah decided to go up to his room and read, Santana was cleaning up the dishes when she felt arms hug her around her waist.

"Bonita," Brett said as he held her close and took in the scent of her perfume.

"Hi," Santana said as she turned to look at him.

"Bonita,"

"Yeah?"

Brett didn't say anything as he kissed her lips softly.

"What are you worried about?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"I will be busy for a while with this case on Dutch, I don't know where he's gone, but I may be in Mexico for a while, I think it's safest if you and Ben move in with Kurt at his house, your father doesn't know who Kurt is, but he knows who Quinton is, please, we need to keep you and Rachel safe, so we're going to move you three in a couple of days, no one will know where you're going,"

"Brett?"

"Please trust me bonita, he seems to have spies, I can't lose you and Ben, and I know that if you stay with Rachel, he will find you there, I can't lose one of my best friends either,"

"Okay, I trust you,"

"Bonita I don't want to leave you here,"

"I don't want you to leave to Mexico, something bad always happens when you go out on those missions and I'm terrified you won't come back,"

"I know bonita, but I'm more scared for you,"

"Brett, I'm not the one who will get shot at,"

"But you can be beaten, raped or worse, killed, I can't have that happen to you and Ben, there is someone betraying this country, betraying us, and until I find out who, we're not safe, I was going through a lot of the documents and I realize that your father is very much in the center of it as is Dutch, and Sanny, I,"

"Yes,"

"I know who he wanted you to marry instead of me,"

"Who?"

"It was Dutch,"

"What?"

"I'm very certain of it, transactions that my father had recorded show that your father was being paid a lot of money for his campaign as long as he supplied Dutch with stuff such as ammunition, weapons and opium, and since he's a Mexican diplomat, he has immunity as what we have can't be used against him, I hope the law changes on that some day, but who knows,"

Santana was shocked, "Why would my father do this?"

"To get power, you know as well as I do, the more money you have, the more people you can buy, the more you can buy, the more likely you can get that position of power and rule like a king,"

Santana hugged him tighter as she stroked her hair, "I'm glad you found me, I've heard stories about Dutch and he scares me," she whispered.

"I'm glad I found you too, and he scares me, not him as a man, but what he can do," Brett said.

The two stayed in that hug for a while before Santana smiled and looked up at him again and kissed him under his chin.

"So, want to go upstairs and give our loving son Jonah something to blush about?" she said seductively as she pulled away from him and swayed her hips as she walked away.

"Oh hell yes," Brett said as he followed her upstairs.

* * *

**AN:** Oh poor Jonah, teased like no one's business, but it's all family.  
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Not long to go before this story is over. Sigh.

Up next, Brett, Quinton and Jonah start their mission against the Dutch Gang.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN**:Just to let you know that when saying the name Jesus, it's actually pronounced as "Hay-sus"

* * *

**Chapter 21:**

Brett had his head leaning against the window of the train as it carried him, Quinton and Jonah to Mexico. Their horses were in the animal carriages.

He was half asleep as he attempted to not really fight to stay awake.

It had been about three days since he finalised everything to begin travel to Mexico so he could find out what he could about Santiago Lopez and his connection with Dutch, hell, a part of him hoped that Dutch would be there, would certainly save him the trouble of finding him in America.

First thing he did was move Ben, Santana and Rachel to Kurt and Jesse's place. He didn't even tell his deputies about it. He told Puck and Finn about what was happening. Finn wanted to join him, but Jenny was now pregnant and he didn't want to leave her alone, so he stayed, but decided that perhaps it was time to go visit his mother and Burt who lived a couple of towns over since he took over their shop in McKinley.

_"Ma would appreciate seeing Jenny and tending to her, and me of course," Finn had said to him._

_"You be safe, you hear," Brett said to him as he shook his hand._

_"Hey, you best be safe too, I don't want to see you three coming back in a box,"_

_"Will try, who's looking after your place?"_

_"Got some guys to do it, good friends, just told 'em Jenny and I need time for each other, didn't say where I was going,"_

_"Good, you best be going then,"_

_Finn tipped his hat at them as he and Jenny disappeared from McKinley._

Puck wanted to join them on their trip to Mexico, but Brett wanted him to stay behind to look after his and Quinton's family. Puck joked with him about it saying that Brett got him out of a pickle because now he has an excuse not to join and get his ass kicked or shot.

Leaving was the hard part. Santana was crying and started speaking in Spanish before he left, she hugged him so tight he felt like he couldn't breathe as he hugged her back just as tight.

_"Te amo," Santana whispered to him, "Por favor venga en casa sin peligro," (I love you, Please come back home safely)._

_"Me volveré a casa con seguridad, prometo, y cuando consigo el hogar, estaremos libres y seremos seguros, todos nosotros," Brett said as he kissed her lips and she kissed him deeply back. (I will come back home safely, I promise, and when I get home, we'll be free and we'll be safe, all of us)._

_Santana just cried into his shoulder as she kissed his neck._

_"Te amo Santana, y le prometo, volveré a casa," he said to her as he looked at Rachel who was holding Ben, waiting patiently for her turn to say goodbye to him, and more importantly, to Quinton. (I love you Santana, and I promise you, I will come home)._

_Brett took Ben into his arms as he hugged his son, "Bye Ben, I promise you, I will be home soon, Daddy will be home soon, promise," he said as he kissed his son's head._

_"And Jonah, you be careful out there okay, don't try and be a hero," Santana said as she hugged Jonah tightly._

_"I will Ma, promise," Jonah said as he hugged her tightly._

_"Good boy,"_

_"Quinton, be safe okay," Rachel said as she kissed Quinton's lips._

_"I will," Quinton said as he took her into his arms._

_"Please be safe, I don't want you to come home in a box,"_

_"I will do my best,"_

_"I love you,"_

_"I love you too,"_

_"And Quinton,"_

_"Yes?"_

_"When you get home, we have some things to discuss, okay,"_

_"About what?"_

_"Get home and you will find out, okay,"_

_Quinton nodded his head as he, Brett and Jonah boarded the train._

"So, it shouldn't be long before we reach Chuparosa, I sent a telegram to Pistol, so here's hoping she got it," Quinton said.

"How are things with her and her Latina girl?" Brett asked.

"Good when I spoke to her last, her wife is pregnant, so Pistol will be having a family soon, so that's good,"

"How the hell does that work?"

"Probably got a male to contribute, I have no idea,"

"But how?"

"Hey, how she wants to start her family is her business, at least she's happy,"

"Yeah that's true,"

"So, word is that Lopez has taken over the compound where we caught Williamson,"

"Damn, do we have to be in the hay again?"

"Maybe, but we'll see,"

Brett groaned at that.

"Food in that carriage is the bee's knees," Jonah said as he wiped his face and sat in his seat, interrupting their conversation.

"Bee's knees?" Brett asked.

"Oh, um, it's really good,"

"Ah,"

"So Pa,"

"Yeah?"

"What are we gonna do when we get to Mexico?"

"I still find it weird that you call him Pa, Bison's what, only about ten years older than you," Quinton said.

"I thought he is thirteen years older, he's twenty-nine now, right?" Jonah said.

"Hell boy, I ain't that old, Quinton is though, he's almost thirty now, aren't you old man?" Brett laughed.

"Hey, I'm not that much older than you, you're only twenty-seven," Quinton said annoyed and yet couldn't quite stay angry about it, "At least I'm not a Pa to a youngin' yet,"

"Yeah, yeah,"

"I like calling him Pa, even if he's not that much older," Jonah tried.

"It's still weird,"

"Not it's not,"

"Save your strength Jonah, sleep, we will need it in Mexico, it's hell hot there," Brett said as he sat back in his chair, put his feet up and pulled his hat over his eyes.

"Pa,"

"Yeah?"

"You didn't answer the question,"

"What question?"

"What are we going to do when we get to Mexico?"

"Get the horses, telegram the family, find some rooms, locate Lopez, arrest him if need be,"

"Okay,"

"Now rest,"

"Yes Pa,"

* * *

Once the three arrived in Mexico, they unloaded their gear before getting their horses.

"Well, well, well, look who's back, Bison, good to see you boy, and Paws, who's the newbie?" Sue asked as she shook the three's hands.

"This is my son Jonah, ain't got his own name yet," Brett said as Jonah shook Sue's hand, but felt slightly intimidated by her so he scooted quickly back to Brett.

"Son? Thought he was born about a year ago,"

"That's my son Ben, Jonah's adopted,"

"I see, hmmm, anyway, I have your rooms set up for the night and we will go over details later, I need Paws to look at my wife, make sure things are going good,"

"Shall do Pistol," Quinton said as he followed Sue.

"She's scary," Jonah said.

"Of course I am boy," Sue yelled back making Jonah pale a bit.

"And has great hearing," Brett laughed as he hitched his and Quinton's horses to the posts and waited for Jonah to hitch his horse.

They went into their shared room and looked at the beds.

"Huh, this is the room where I looked after your Ma," Brett said as he sat down on the bed.

"You did?" Jonah asked.

"Yeah, she was hurt real bad and Quinton saved her, and I was here looking after her as she got better,"

"I didn't know she was from Mexico,"

Brett gave him a look.

"Honest, I never considered it, she's just Ma to me," Jonah said.

"That she is, who knows, maybe you'll meet a beautiful Latina here too," Brett said as he put all their gear down and walked out the door, Jonah following him.

"You think?" he asked.

"You keen to?"

"Yeah, I mean, Ma's really beautiful, and she's loving and caring, I'm wondering if it's a Latina thing,"

"No, I was just fortunate, that she is, all women have the ability to be loving and caring like your Ma, look at Rachel, she's like Santana in that caring way, but she's not Latina,"

"Yeah that's true,"

"And Finn's girl Jenny, she's caring too,"

"I guess so Pa, but I mean, I just think that, you know, well, I like the look of Latina girls,"

"You've only seen Ma around the house,"

"I don't mean that Pa, I mean, well, I just, I've seen them around before and I always thought they were real pretty looking,"

"I see,"

"Hey you two, what you talking about?" Quinton asked as he joined them at the bar and ordered some whiskey for the three of them.

"Latina's," Brett said.

"Oh, you looking for a bride, boy?"

"Um, well, no, I mean I do, but I, well," Jonah stammered.

"Aw, he's blushing Bison," Quinton laughed.

"He sure is," Brett laughed.

Jonah took his whiskey shot and spluttered at the taste of it, "Argh, this is strong and disgusting," he spluttered as he made spitting sounds but nothing came out.

"Your first whiskey boy?" Quinton asked as he nodded his head.

Brett laughed as he took his whiskey.

"So, boys, let's get down to business," Sue said as she came into the bar and sat at one of the tables.

She put a bunch of paper work on the desk and showed them.

"It seems that Santiago Lopez is gaining a lot of power here in Mexico, good for some, bad for the majority, there is talks of a revolution," Sue said as the three men looked at her.

"Isn't a revolution something that only happens if there's someone in charge?" Brett asked.

"You haven't been reading the papers have you? Or keeping up with the gossip around,"

"No, I haven't, no in Mexico anyway, we have enough problems in America,"

"Lopez is in charge now,"

"What?"

"He is, he has power, but he is a tyrant, sources for me say that he's plotting to get you back, he keeps mentioning you and Santana, he's been planning for the last year at least,"

"Damn, I didn't know that, I was getting over some rough stuff and was working against some local gangs,"

"I know, I heard about it,"

"How?"

"What Sue needs to know, she will know,"

Brett just looked at her but nodded his head anyway.

"Anyway, there are a fair few locals here who would love to get rid of him, like Jose Gonzalez over there," Sue said as she waved at the barman.

Jose came over to them, "Hola," he said.

"So, you want to get rid of Lopez?" Brett asked.

"Si Senor, what he did to his daughter, no me gusta," (I don't like it).

"Yeah, me too,"

"He is not a good man, I do not know how he can treat his daughter like that gringo,"

"Me neither, so, how do we get rid of him?"

"First I need you to do something for me,"

"Okay?"

"My daughter Maria, she's been captured she's part of the revolution here in Mexico, they captured her along with some others, please senor, save her,"

"We will, where are they holding her?"

"North of Casa Madrugada, at a place called El Matadero, there is a small canyon close by with a cave at the end, they have a prison there, I don't know what they are doing to her, please, save her,"

Brett looked at Jonah and then at Quinton, "Well son, let's go shall we, Paws is gonna stay here in case something happens,"

Quinton nodded his head, now that the town knew he was back, people were flocking in to see him again for medical treatment.

"Be safe brother," Quinton said as he tilted his hat at Brett and then at Jonah.

"I'll keep digging up information for you, make sure it's safe enough for us to get into the compound and all that and make sure that Lopez is there," Sue said as she got up and tipped her hat at everyone.

"So, how do we make sure your daughter knows we're there to help her?" Brett asked Jose as he got up from the bar.

"She remembers you and Santana, so she will know," Jose replied, "Oh, and at El Matadero, look for a man named Jesus, he'll be cutting meat in a big shed, he'll lead you where you need to go,"

Brett nodded his head as he and Jonah mounted their horses and took off.

* * *

The two rode for about three hours before they reached their destination.

Hitching their horses, the two found their way to the Meat Barn.

"Hello?" Brett called out.

"Hola Gringo," a man said, "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Jesus,"

"That's me, oh, you must be the guys, follow me,"

Brett walked after the man, Jonah followed but kept his hand on his pistol just in case, though he was tempted to take his rifle that was currently shouldered.

"You are here in time Gringo, they have started to move and execute the prisoners, Santiago Lopez and his Army don't like it that there are those going against him," Jesus said.

"Means he has something to hide if he's doing this," Brett muttered.

"Yeah, women, men, even children gringo, children,"

"Bastard,"

As Jesus lead them to the back of the small settlement, he made them wait by the rock.

"Okay, I'll cause a distraction, take their horses and meet me at the end of the canyon after you get the girl," he said to Brett who nodded his head at him.

"Ready son?" Brett asked Jonah.

"As I'll ever be," Jonah said as he took in a deep breath and held out his rifle.

"Don't shoot until I say so, okay, and stay behind cover as much as possible,"

"Yes sir,"

As they watched Jesus talk to the guards and then piss them off enough to chase him, Brett and Jonah crept into the entrance.

One of the army men spotted them and yelled out to his buddies.

"Oh shit," Brett said, "Start shooting son,"

"To kill sir?" Jonah asked.

"Don't have choice, it's either they kill us or we kill them,"

A bullet whistled pass their heads as the two started shooting.

"Careful of the dynamite," Brett yelled as he dodged the bullets and hid behind rocks as he slowly advanced forward.

He peeked out a bit as he shot at one soldier after another before ducking and reloading his rifle, he would leave his pistol for when he had no choice.

Jonah slide across the ground as he attempted to get rid of as many soldiers as possible, the bullets scared him as they whistled passed him, one nearly nicked him making him duck, but continue to shoot anyway.

The fire fight went on for a bit.

Brett advanced forward holding no fear, he heard Jonah yelp behind him but figured the boy must have been caught off guard as sometimes the soldiers seemingly popped out of nowhere.

Eventually the gun fire ceased as Brett stood by the back of the cave, he could see a girl behind the bars, she looked exhausted and beaten.

"Maria?" he called out as the girl looked up at him.

"Senor?" she started.

"I'm here to help you, hold on," Brett said as he waited for Jonah who had yet to show up next to him, "Jonah, where are you son?"

"Pa?" Jonah started as Brett turned to look at him.

"Oh no,"

"Pa, it hurts,"

Brett stared in horror as he realised that Jonah had been shot.


	22. Chapter 22

**AN: WARNING -** This chapter will be a bit **long and a bit ****sad**, and it will be a bit quick paced. The fate of a few of the characters will be unknown until a couple of chapters, so you'll have to be patient, I have the chapters planned.

**Character Death** in this chapter, but it's not one of the majors, at least not in this one.

* * *

**Chapter 22:**

Brett watched as Jonah collapsed.

"Shit," he said as he raced over to Jonah, "Son, listen to me, keep awake, okay, and keep pressure on that wound,"

"Yes Pa," Jonah said as Brett tore a part of his shirt to make a tourniquet.

"I have to save Maria, okay, and then I'll get us out of here, just stay awake," Brett said to Jonah who nodded at him.

"I can move Pa, it's just my hip,"

"You're bleeding bad boy, so stay still,"

"Okay, Pa it really hurts,"

"You'll be fine Jonah, okay,"

Jonah nodded his head as Brett got up and went to the cell door. He shot it opened and picked up Maria who was currently unconscious.

"Can you walk son?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll try," Jonah said.

Jonah limped badly behind Brett as the taller blonde carried Maria in his arms. Luckily for them there were no more soldiers.

Once outside, Brett put Maria on the horse as Jonah tried to climb on the one next to him.

"Pa, I can't," he cried.

Brett helped Jonah onto the same horse that Maria was on.

Once he was sure that the two were safely on the same horse, he tied the reins to the horse he was using as he slowly made his way through the canyon valley track, making sure to be on guard in case more soldiers showed up.

The first half of the canyon was fine, it was quiet as Brett made his horse move as quickly as it could without causing Jonah and Maria to fall; Jonah was fighting to stay awake and Brett suspected the boy wasn't shot in his hip, but rather his stomach.

The second half of the canyon however, soldiers appeared out of nowhere, so Brett had to shoot them as he made his way to what seemed like a never ending canyon track.

Finally when he was at the end, Jesus was there waiting for him.

"Gringo, you made it, I managed to fool and lose those soldiers, and look, I found you a carriage and your horses are here," Jesus said as Brett jumped off his horse and put Jonah in the back of the carriage with Maria.

"Good, quick, we have to get to Chuparosa, my boy's been shot and the girl has been beaten,"

Jesus nodded his head as he gave the reins over to Brett, "I can't go amigo, they will start to suspect,"

Brett nodded his head as he made the horses race towards Chuparosa, making sure to whistle for his and Jonah's horse to follow behind.

Arriving in Chuparosa, Brett was greeted by Quinton who took Maria in his arms and Brett carried Jonah to a spare room.

"The girl will be fine, Pistol's looking after her with her Papi, let's look at your boy," Quinton said as he entered the room where Brett was, not too long later.

"He's been shot," Brett said, "He reckon's hip, I reckon stomach,"

"Oh damn, you're right bro, we gotta get this out," Quinton said as he reached for the anesthetic and gave Jonah a shot.

"Pa, don't let him cut me, please Pa," Jonah started as he felt drowsy.

"Paws knows what he's doing, okay, I'll be right here," Brett said as he patted Jonah's shoulder.

"Pa, I wasn't trying to be a hero, honest Pa, tell Ma that, please,"

"You'll be okay, and I know, you did what I told you to, you were a good boy,"

As Jonah drifted off to sleep, Quinton started his work and managed to get the bullet out before bandaging the boy up.

"He'll be fine, lucky too that the bullet wasn't so deep and that I could stitch him up as needed, but he'll need rest," Quinton said as he cleaned his hands in a bowl of water.

"How's Maria?" Brett asked.

"She's fine, just had a severe beating that's all, but she'll pull through,"

"Was she taken advantaged of?"

"Not from what I can tell,"

Brett nodded his head.

"Come brother, let's go rest and have some suds or something," Quinton said as Brett followed him to the bar.

"Ah Mr Pierce, thank you for saving Maria," Jose said.

"It's no problem," Brett said as Jose prepared two whiskey's for the men.

"How's your boy?"

"He'll pull through,"

"Good, listen Gringo, I need another favour, please,"

"Sure,"

"I need you to take my wife and my other daughter out of the country, help them cross the border into America,"

"Why?"

"Lopez is closing in on my family, I can't risk them staying here,"

"What about you Jose, don't you want to leave Chuparosa? Be safe?" Brett asked as he lit his pipe and sipped his whiskey.

"No gringo, as long as my family is safe, Lisa needs to leave with her mother, I know she wants to stay here and fight the revolution, but it'd be safer for her," Jose said, "I already lost a son, and I fear for Maria's life since she won't leave and she's obsessed with Javier Santos and saving Mexico, I can't lose another child,"

Brett just nodded his head, "I'll do it,"

"Thank you gringo, I'll watch your boy for you,"

"Thanks, will they be ready to leave in the morning?"

"Yes, hopefully Maria will be up and okay,"

"She will be," Quinton said, "She's healing quite well, I just had to give her some medicine for the pain, but she'll be fine,"

Jose just nodded his head at that.

* * *

That morning, Jonah was up and around despite Quinton telling him not to run around or do anything.

"Stubborn headed boy, just like his Pa," Quinton muttered as Brett laughed.

"Pa, how's the girl?" Jonah asked as he put on his hat and walked up to Brett and Quinton.

"She's fine, now you should be resting," Brett said as Jonah sat down.

"Okay Pa, Pa, I can still come with you to find Lopez, right?"

"No,"

"No? But Pa,"

"I said no son, and I mean it, you're wounded, you need to rest, what would your Ma say if I let you come with me and you were still injured?"

"But,"

"I mean it son,"

Jonah looked slightly dejected.

"I like you coming with me boy, but you can't this time, you need to think of your health, did you think that after my injuries I went back to the job just like that?" Brett stated rather than asked.

"I guess not, but I hate waiting around Pa," Jonah said.

"I know, now sip your whiskey and get some rest,"

Jonah nodded his head as he went to bed.

Later in the day at about two in the afternoon, Jose appeared with two women. Brett knew who they were.

"Papá quiero quedarme aquí con usted y Maria, quiero luchar por México," Lisa said to her father. (Papa I wanna stay here with you and Maria, I want to fight for Mexico).

"Ninguna Lisa es demasiado peligroso, van a América, estará más seguro para usted allí, le necesito para cuidar de su madre," Jose said. (No Lisa it's too dangerous, go to America, it'll be safer for you there, I need you to look after your mother).

Lisa sighed as she looked at Brett, she was probably about fourteen years old, "My father says I have to go with you,"

"You'll be safer in America," Brett said.

Lisa just nodded her head sadly.

"You say goodbye to Maria?" Jose asked as Lisa nodded her head.

Brett watched as Jose and his wife parted, they spoke sweet words, what was said no one knew as he whispered it to her in Spanish and Brett couldn't hear, but he knew a last look when he saw one, Jose didn't believe he'd make it out of the revolution alive.

His wife Ana cried as she said goodbye to him.

The two women boarded the carriage as Brett got into the driving seat.

"I'll come with you," Quinton started as Sue butted in.

"Oh no you don't Miner, you're staying here, you're on Medical watch, I'll go with Bison," she said.

Quinton sighed, he wanted to go, but Sue had a point, as always. So he tipped his hat and waved goodbye to them.

The missions itself was simple, Brett managed to get Lisa and her mother to the boat that was taking them across to America.

"Here," he said to them as he handed them some money and a piece of paper with Kurt's Saloon name on it, "Un poco de dinero para usted para cuando ustedes consiguen a América, lleve el tren una ciudad llamada McKinley y vaya a este salón, pida un Kurt Hummel y dígale que usted conoce a un hombre llamado Bison, dígale llevarle a Santana Pierce y ése ella se ocupará le," (Some money for you for when you get to America, take the train to a town called McKinley and go to this Saloon, ask for a Kurt Hummel and tell him you know a man called Bison, tell him to take you to Santana Pierce and that she will look after you).

"Gracias senor," Lisa said to him as she took the paper and the money.

"Well that was nice and easy," Sue said as she grinned, "C'mon, let's bet back to Chuparosa,"

"Yeah," Brett said as he waved goodbye to Lisa and her mother. He hoped that they'd be safe.

Sue got onto the carriage as Brett steered it back to Chuparosa.

"So, tell me, how's Santana?" Sue asked.

"She's good, in hiding at the moment, but she's good, I made her go and stay with Kurt," Brett said.

"That's good,"

"Yeah, how's your wife?"

"Good, I worry about her sometimes you know, I'm the only white person in Chuparosa, though I'm tanning well, but I worry for her life sometimes,"

"You ever think of coming back to America?"

"No, I like Mexico, I like the people, it's peaceful here, especially when you're not around,"

Brett laughed at that.

"Besides Laura likes it here, I can't make her leave, this is home," Sue finished.

"How about for you?" Brett asked.

"Look, repeat this and I will string you up, but home is where the heart is, I'm happy when I'm with her, all there is to it,"

"I hear that, if Santana wanted to move back here I would, but in her heart, I don't think she wants to come back,"

"And she probably doesn't given her experience here,"

Brett just nodded his head as he pulled into Chuparosa.

* * *

About four days had passed now, things were quiet for the time being as Brett fell into the routine of being a handyman for the town.

Sue was busy setting up the plans for the ambush, again, in Escalera, with the help of the Rebels, so there wasn't much Brett and Quinton could do.

They did telegram Kurt every now and then to see how the family was, apart from Ben getting ill and now being on the mend, and Rachel losing her voice for a few days, there were no major dramas.

Jonah helped a bit around the place too, but was usually found sitting at the bar and talking with Maria since Brett forbid him to work too much.

The two were getting along well and Brett knew that Jonah really liked the girl, he wondered if she liked him back, but all she seemed to talk about was the revolution and Javier Santos the current leader of the new revolution.

Before he met Javier, Brett had hoped that the revolution leader would do a better job than Abraham Reyes did, Brett had never liked what he heard about Reyes; from witness reports, the man was a prick who was obsessed with fucking women, gaining money and having power.

He did nothing for the revolution of Mexico and her people and took advantage of the desperate.

Last he heard was that Reyes was supposedly in power, but he supposed now that Lopez was there, he was no longer it.

Reyes was probably in prison, not that Brett cared, he had read accounts from John Marston that Reyes would exaggerate the events that transpired during the first revolution. Saying things like he escaped and killed a hundred soldiers when really it was Marston who did all the work and actually did the rescue.

Brett sighed as he watched as Jonah and Maria talked and laughed together.

He did meet Javier eventually, the man was probably just a year younger than Brett was, was a revolutionary mind. A philosopher, he practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced. He was also a young looker, so Brett could see why the girls fawned over him.

Javier was different, Brett could see that, he wasn't arrogant, and he seemed humble enough. Brett just wasn't sure if a man so young could lead Mexico himself.

But that remained to be seen.

He set his sights back to Jonah and Maria who were still talking and discussing a book that Jonah had somehow acquired.

"They seem like a good pair huh?" Quinton said as he smoked his pipe while staring at the young couple.

"Too bad she's enamored with this Javier Santos," Brett said as he sipped his whiskey.

"Nah, she admires him, but I think she likes Jonah,"

"You reckon?"

"Yeah, like two peas in a pod those two, they just seem to belong,"

"Oh young love," Brett laughed as Quinton laughed with him.

* * *

The following morning, Brett got up as he decided to do a quick run to the convent at Las Hermanas.

There he met with Sister Mercedes and was happy to see that she was doing well.

He updated her on what was happening with him and Santana, he told her about Ben, he confessed about his wrongdoings and in all that time, Sister Mercedes just patted his shoulder when needed as she listened to his story before she told him about the usual daily happenings of the life of a Sister.

After their catch up, Brett started doing odd jobs around the convent before deciding it was time to pack up and head back to Chuparosa, hoping that there would be more news about the potential capturing of Escalera and in turn the capture of Santiago Lopez.

The sight that met him filled him with horror as he made his way up the hills on his horse.

Chuparosa was on fire, and there was gun fire still heard.

He raced towards the place with his horse as he jumped off Midnight as he neared the town.

Sneaking in, he shot at the soldiers who were there before trying to find Jonah and Quinton. The two were nowhere to be found.

He raced around the small settlement as he found Jose on the ground, bleeding.

"No," he started.

"Brett," Jose spluttered, "They attacked us,"

Brett fell to the ground next to Jose, "What happened?"

"They came in and started shooting, women, children, they knew who to look for, they took Maria and Jonah, Maria, Maria, save my Maria,"

"Hang on I'll get you help," Brett started, "Where are Pistol and Paws?"

"I don't know, I, they took cover and started shooting, the church maybe,"

"My son?"

"They took him, they took them as ransom, Lopez said, he said, he will hurt your family, kill you and take your head to his daughter, he said you come alone to Escalera or he kills your boy,"

Brett held Jose's hand.

"Swear to me Brett, look after my family," Jose said as he gripped Brett's hand tighter.

"I will do my best," Brett said.

"That's all I can ask,"

And with that Jose died in Brett's arms.

Brett felt a tear fall from his face as he got up and went looking for Quinton and Sue.

He ran into the church, keeping his pistol up just in case.

"Dammit boy, you made it back, wasn't sure you'd miss the army," Sue said as she lowered her pistol.

"Where's Paws?" Brett asked.

Sue looked down at the ground, and there Brett saw something he feared.

Quinton was bleeding, badly.

"Hell, Lopez shot me good," Quinton spluttered.

"You're going to make it Paws," Brett said.

"Nah, I don't think so, not this time,"

"Hey, you don't give me that loser talk, you make it, or you know that Fists will be all up on your woman, so, you best stay to protect her,"

"I tried to protect your boy, kid grew on me you know,"

"Yeah, hold on Paws, please,"

"Bison, you get Lopez, you get him, he wants to get into America after killing you and he will hurt our families, get him,"

"I will, I promise you that,"

"Good, look after Rachel,"

"You sure as hell ain't dying on me Paws,"

"I've been shot at least six times, I ain't living passed today,"

"You are because you're better than you think, if I can live with a gunshot close to my heart, you can survive this,"

"I dunno,"

"You LIVE Quinton, you live because your girl wants you to come home, you promised her you wouldn't go back in a box and you sure as hell are a man of your word,"

"Bison, I'm tired,"

"You keep your eyes open, Sue wouldn't have thought you as her potential protégé if she thought you a quitter,"

"Be careful of a trap, he's baiting you with Jonah and Maria,"

"I'll try, but you, stay awake,"

Quinton didn't say anything as he closed his eyes.

"PAWS!" Brett yelled as Sue could do nothing for now but look on.


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: **Just to warn you, this chapter is **incredibly violent with gory scenes including deaths of children.** It is also sad as there will be a **character death** in it plus there will be a **twist** coming up. Some of you may not like the twist, but it is what I've been playing around with and this is the direction it is going.  
Hope you will enjoy this **long **chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 23:**

Brett lifted Quinton up as he put him on Midnight before he and Sue rode their horses to Las Hermanas.

Once there, he jumped off Midnight and ran into the convent with Quinton in his arms.

"Help me, please, help me," he cried as the Nuns came running out.

"Ay dios mio," the Nun, who Brett recognized as the former Nurse who had helped Santana about a year ago, came running out. (Oh my god).

"Sister Martha,"

"What happened?"

"Please, he's been shot bad, can you save him?"

"I'll try Senor," Sister Martha said as she called out to the others as Sister Mercedes arrived.

"Please look after him, I have to go get my son back,"

"We shall, God be with you," Sister Mercedes said.

"And also with you," Brett said back.

"Bison?" Quinton started as he looked up weakly at his friend.

"You're going to be okay Paws, just hold on,"

"Bison," Quinton said again before praying, "Hail Mary, full of grace, Our Lord is with thee,"

"Paws, don't,"

"Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,"

"Paws, stop, you're not going to die,"

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen,"

And with that Quinton closed his eyes again.

The Nuns moved him quickly away so that the Sister Martha could operate on him.

"Here, his medical bag, I hope all the things he needs are in there, please, save him," Brett said as he tipped his hat after handing Quinton's medical bag to Sister Mercedes who took it and disappeared.

Anger was coursing through his veins.

"Calm down Bison, you need a clear head for this," Sue said as she and him saddled their horses.

"How can you be calm?" Brett asked.

"Because being calm is the only way I can get my wife back, being angry will cloud what judgement I have and I'm very angry right now,"

"Your wife? I'm so sorry,"

"Save it, let's stop wasting time and get going,"

"Are the Rebels ready?"

"Yes, they will distract Santiago enough,"

"Good, let's go help the revolution,"

* * *

Brett made Midnight gallop faster than the horse had ever gone before, Midnight didn't falter, it was like he knew what his master needed, so the horse kept galloping.

A few hours later they eventually made it to the outskirts of Escalera, meeting the rebels there.

"Okay, you're here," Javier said as Brett approached him.

"What can you tell me?" Brett asked.

"They've locked Maria in a cell up there with a few other prisoners, we'll cause a distraction so you can get in there and save her, they have your son facing a firing squad, they're just waiting for you,"

"Oh no,"

"Patience, they won't shoot him until you're there, they're waiting for Lopez's orders,"

Brett nodded his head.

"They've started executed the locals they believe are part of the revolution, we have to stop them, so any you see on your way, save them,"

Again Brett nodded his head.

"¡Viva la revolución, viva México," Javier said as the Rebels cheered that along with him and they began their attack on Escalera.

Brett and Sue followed close enough behind before splitting up.

There were screams and shouts of anguish and pain as Brett crept through the city, some buildings were already burnt and there were some bodies that laid in the street that were partially charred. Brett had to try hard not to gag on the stench that was filling the air. He had yet to shoot anyone but he knew to save his bullets.

"No, no, no tira por favor a mi niño, ella no tiene nada hacer con esto, por favor ningún," a woman screamed and cried as the soldiers dragged her out of her home and beat her, forcing her to the ground. (No, no, please don't shoot my child, she has nothing to do with this, please no).

The soldiers dragged her screaming four year old daughter out of the house and kicked the child to the ground before shooting her.

The woman screamed in agony, Brett felt his heart thump as he watched the child's bloodied body fall to that ground as he roared in anger, anger that he didn't react fast enough, it all happened in a second.

He killed the soldiers as he tried to help the woman, but she wouldn't move as she held the body of her child in her arms crying.

Brett had to keep moving, he had to save his own child, all around him soldiers were beating innocent and majority unarmed citizens of the town as the rebels tried to attack them.

There were people being dragged out as the army mocked them and shot them at close range with a firing squad, but they were too far for Brett to save them, so he had to keep moving.

Brett saved only a few as he attempted to get to the prison. That was his mission, save Maria to keep his promise to Jose and save his son Jonah, he would save who he could and he knew, time was short.

He passed numerous crying citizens, a man crying over the body of his young pregnant beloved who had been shot in the head, another family crying over the death of their eight year old son who was caught in the crossfire.

Pain was filling the air and it made it so heavy that all could feel it.

The screaming and the smell was something Brett would never forget for as long as he lived.

Finally he made it to the prison as he shot his way through and started letting the prisoners out to help fight the revolution.

"Mr Pierce," Maria said as she hugged him, "Help her, that's Laura Sylvester, Jonah tried to protect her or she would have lost the baby, they were trying to kick her,"

"It might be best she stays hidden here, we'll tell Sue where she is," Brett said as Maria nodded her head, "Where's Jonah?"

"Up the hill there by the city fountain, I can hear them beat him, we have to save him,"

Brett nodded his head as he reloaded his pistol and crept up the hill with Maria.

Maria for her part found a spare pistol that was dropped by a dead soldier which she took to arm herself with.

Once there they saw the soldiers hit Jonah repeatedly in the face.

"Where's your Papi, gringo?" the general asked.

"I'm not telling you where he is," Jonah said as he spat into the general's face.

One soldier hit him in the stomach making him groan in pain.

"You betrayer, you swore to tell," the general said as he kicked Jonah too.

"I lied," Jonah spat at them.

Brett was debating how to approach since their guns were pointed right at Jonah's head, but before he could do anything, Maria held out her pistol and ran at them screaming.

"¡Viva la revolución, viva México," Maria yelled as she advanced on them shooting, trying to save Jonah. (Long live the revolution, long live Mexico).

"No," Brett started as she killed a few. Making shoot who he could and then having to reload his gun.

The remaining two soldiers turned and were shocked as they fell one by one.

The General sneered at her as he took aim and shot her three times in the chest.

Jonah and Brett both felt time slow as they watched Maria fall to the ground and died.

"No," Jonah started as he looked at her now vacant eyes, "NO!"

He managed to break free as he picked up the fallen pistols and started shooting the general, emptying the pistol into the now dead general's body before starting to punch him.

Brett started shooting when he realised soldiers were making their way up to shoot Jonah.

He stood in front of his son, shielding him as he kept shooting.

"No, no, no," Jonah cried as tears fell from his face as he finally stopped punching the dead general and picked up Maria in his arms, "You killed her, you damn bastard you killed her,"

As the gun fire finally ceased the rebels surround the compound trapping Santiago Lopez in it.

Brett had a hard choice to make. Comfort his son, or chase after Santiago.

"Son," he started.

"Kill him, get Lopez and kill him, I, HATE, HIM," Jonah raged.

"We'll talk about this later, okay,"

"Kill him," was all Jonah said as he held Maria's body in his arms and cried.

Brett patted his son's back as he handed him a pistol.

"Son, stay strong, okay, don't do anything stupid, you hear," Brett said as Jonah looked at him.

"I'm not going to shoot myself if that's what you're concerned about Pa," Jonah said.

Brett looked at him.

"Promise, I promised Ma I'd come home too, I'm like you Pa, a man of my word," he finished.

Brett nodded his head as he walked up the hill and to the compound.

"There you are," Sue said.

"We found your wife Sue, we left her in the cells to keep safe, the general's dead, Jonah killed him after the general killed Maria," Brett said sadly.

Sue nodded her head in acknowledgement.

Brett entered the compound and saw that quite a few of the soldiers were on their knees with their hands on their heads in surrender as the rebels had weapons aimed at them.

"You find your son?" Javier asked.

"Yeah," Brett said.

"And Maria?"

"Dead,"

"What?"

"She died trying to save Jonah,"

Javier nodded his head sadly at that, "Lopez is holed up inside, you can take him,"

Brett nodded his head as he walked into the compound's house with Sue, pistols high and ready.

He was made to cover as shots rang out at him.

"You fucking gringo, how'd you get in here?" Santiago yelled as he could be heard reloading his pistol.

"By horseback then using these things I call legs, I'm here to bring you to justice, now surrender, you're under arrest for murder," Brett yelled back.

"Your stupid friend didn't have to die, all he had to do was join me and surrender you, but he was too noble and loyal to you,"

"What?"

"I told that doctor friend of yours I would pay him twenty thousand American if he came to help me against you, but he spat in my face, so I shot him as much as I could and told him that I would kill his wife after I killed you and got my daughter back,"

"You bastard, you were working with Dutch, why?"

"I worked with Dutch so I could get money and try and get revenge on you and my stupid whore daughter," Santiago spat.

"She's not stupid and she's not a whore, you made her one," Brett said angrily.

"You called her one,"

"Because I was careless and angry I didn't mean it, but you, you nearly killed her,"

"She should be dead for fucking you,"

"She never fucked me, she made love to me, big difference,"

"She should have been with Dutch, he would have supported her, the money,"

"What would money get you in the after-life? Huh? Nothing,"

"He will find you and kill you all, you captured Williamson, and he was hung in the end, now Dutch seeks revenge,"

"You have a chance to redeem yourself, for your daughter's sake, where's Dutch and who's working for you in the bureau?"

"Gringo, it's not just the bureau rat, it's also one of your own too gringo, two if I think correctly,"

Brett looked stunned, two of his own? Who could he mean?

"What the hell are you talking about?" Brett asked.

"Let's start with that boy of yours, you really think that Jonah was completely honest? Huh? Why don't you ask him why the gangs nearly killed him,"

"Leave my boy out of this,"

"He's not your son, he's one of the traitors, ask him,"

Brett shook his head in disbelief as Santiago advanced on him shooting.

"Stop, or I will shoot you," Brett said as he went behind cover.

But Santiago didn't listen as he continued shooting, "But then again, I'll just tell you so that the last thing you'll remember is betrayal, Jonah's family was killed by that gang in Tumbleweed, yes, but he was given a chance to live, that gang is mine, the Diablos Gang, a part of Dutch's Gang, I offered him money to tell me what he heard your father say, what? Didn't you know he used to be the errand boy at the bureau in Blackwater? He heard your father talking, he told me so, I managed to find his family purely by chance and as he begged for his life I told him to tell me something useful, perhaps about McKinley, the moment I heard your name Gringo, I knew I had what I wanted, he told me where you lived because he asked Arthur himself, but when it failed to get me Santana, I had his family slaughtered, in his desperate need to survive, he asked me if there was something he could do, anything, so I told him befriend you by any means possible and get you to Mexico, and it looks like he did it, he wormed his way into you so well, how else do you think I knew you were here in Mexico? Huh? How else did you think I knew to hold him ransom?"

Brett couldn't believe it, he just couldn't believe it. After having so much good fortune meeting good people, he couldn't believe that the boy he saw as his own was a traitor.

Santiago roared as he started shooting again, Brett had no choice as he aimed his pistol at Santiago and killed him.

That was it, the revolution was now over.

But the internal battle was just starting to begin.

* * *

Brett arrived at Las Hermanas with Jonah and Sue in the carriage he was driving as their horses followed slowly behind them.

Sue was holding Laura in her arms and whispering sweet nothings one would not normally see of the usually hard poker faced woman.

Jonah was unspeaking as he held Maria's body close.

Brett had left Javier to take over the aftermath of the revolution, at first he thought perhaps Reyes would take over, but the general public were disillusioned with Reyes already, plus he had found out that the man was on the run and was now in Puerto Rico. Lopez had paid him about fifty thousand American to leave the country.

Brett scoffed angrily at that, how a man could betray people for money he'd never understand, but now he had his own problems, someone he knew was betraying him.

And one of them was Jonah.

"Pa, can we bury Maria?" Jonah asked as he looked up at Brett.

"Yeah, sure," Brett said.

"Where's her father?"

"Dead,"

"Oh, maybe we should bury them together,"

"Yeah, we should, family should always stay together as much as they can,"

Jonah nodded his head.

"Well Bison, I think I'll bid you goodbye now, the revolution is done, and I can finally live in peace, Chuparosa will rebuild itself and we will heal," Sue said as she shook Brett's hand, "When Paws comes round, tell him I say farewell,"

"I shall," Brett said as he shook her hand again and tipped his hat, watching her disappear into the convent with her wife.

Brett watched Jonah carry Maria to the door but not know what to do until one of the Sister's let him in.

"Ah, Senor Pierce, your friend is healing well, but maybe you should take him back to America to his family," Sister Martha said as she approached him.

"Thank you sister," he said.

"Your son lost someone?"

"Yeah, he did, I don't know where we're going to bury them,"

"Talk to him and you shall find out, perhaps she told him about her favourite place,"

Brett nodded his head, "I shall, I'll be back soon, I just have to go retrieve the girl's father, his body is still in Chuparosa, can you continue to look after my friend?"

"Of course Senor,"

With that she disappeared back into the convent.

Jonah came out and looked at Brett, "Pa, what are we going to do now?"

"First, we're heading to Chuparosa to pick up Jose's body, and then we have to figure out where to bury them," Brett said.

"She said that they had a family plot in Sepulcro and that the family was supposed to be buried there,"

"Okay, let's go,"

Jonah nodded his head, wondering why Brett was acting slightly different towards him than usual.

When they reached Chuparosa and saw the remains of the burnt city, Brett walked up to Jonah and pulled him off his horse roughly.

"Ow, PA?" Jonah started.

"Don't move boy, you're going to tell me everything I want to know and I want the truth, who the hell are you really? And why did you betray my family?" Brett said as he pointed the pistol at Jonah's head.

Jonah paled at this.

"Tell me the truth Jonah, now," Brett said as he looked at his boy with unshed tears, cocking his pistol as well, "I want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God,"

Jonah raised his hands in surrender as tears fell from his face as he began his confession.


	24. Chapter 24

**AN:** I must be on a roll because I haven't been able to write consecutively enough in a while.  
I'm not sure how you felt about Jonah being a traitor, BUT, hopefully this chapter will explain why.

You will find out his real age, what he used to to do AND why he did what he did. _Flashbacks in italics._

The first part will be a flashback as Jonah tells his story, and later we will be back at McKinley for a wee while, and you'll see how Quinton is and what Rachel wanted to tell him, though I'm sure most of you have probably already guessed. Lol.

Enjoy Chapter 24. Just a heads up though, it's really, really **LONG**. (Excuse the quick pace and jumps).  
Just a **WARNING** though, there are parts in the flashbacks that are violent and disturbing, though probably not as bad as what happened last chapter, but still pretty sad.

* * *

**Chapter 24:**

"Pa, I, I'm really sorry," Jonah started.

"Don't call me Pa," Brett said, "Now start at the beginning, who are you really?"

"My name is Jonah Burns just like I said sir, I changed my name to Jonah Pierce because you called me your son,"

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen,"

"You're how old?"

"Fourteen,"

"Why'd you say sixteen?"

"Cusp of manhood sir, and I figured you'd let me tag along and not treat me too much like a little boy, I'm tall for my age so most would believe me,"

"Why did you lie to me? Why did you betray my family?"

"I didn't know he was trying to kill you, I just, I,"

"Tell me the whole story, start at the beginning,"

So Jonah began his tale.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Jonah was working today at the ranch as it was his day off from working as the gopher boy at the bureau office in Blackwater. Saturday was his favourite day of the week, he got to come home and help on the ranch by Tumbleweed with his mother and his Uncle and of course his baby sister.  
Jonah's father had up and left the family when he was around two and Jonah was told that he had died in a bar fight somewhere in Blackwater, not that Jonah cared, his father didn't want him anyway, and he was happy with his Uncle Mark.  
_

_Granted now that he was fourteen, he had a choice, continue school OR get a job; and since the ranch wasn't going as well as his mother had hoped, Jonah got a job in the city as the gopher boy for the Bureau, school wasn't for everyone in his mind and he could make some money working for the office in Blackwater.  
Sure people made fun of him and he was tripped while at work, but he made money for his family and that's all he cared about, his family was his life and he'd be damned if he didn't help them.  
_

_He would travel to Blackwater every Monday morning, work straight away and then live above the bar in town in one of the rooms and then every Friday evening, he'd come home by train.  
_

_"You're growing well boy," his Uncle said, "You're becoming a fine man,"  
_

_"Thanks Uncle Mark," Jonah said as he lifted the hay bale and moved it._

_"Good, so, how's the hunting going?"_

_"Not bad, I'm holding the rifle right now, and I'm pretty good with my pistol,"_

_"Good lad,"_

_"I just don't have as much time now though, working for the bureau,"  
_

_"Days like these I wish your Pa was still around,"_

_"I don't, he didn't want me anyway, and Ma told me he was a drunkard and he beat her,"_

_"He did, I had to stop him many times, bastard didn't appreciate who he had,"_

_"I don't care about him,"_

_"Listen Jonah, my brother may have been a drunkard and an ass, but when he was sober he was a good man,"_

_"I guess so,"_

_"Look, I know you're growing up and I've never really asked you about this, but are you sure you ain't sour with me marrying your Ma?"_

_"No, of course not, you're a good Pa to Maggie, I've seen it, and you're a good father to me,"_

_"But I'm not your Pa,"_

_"Yeah, you're my Uncle, no two ways about it,"_

_Mark just smiled a bit, "Look, I know you're looking for a father figure, but sometimes to be a man, you gotta make do with what you got,"_

_"Sure,"_

_"So, you wanna go hunting with me?"_

_But before anything else could be said there were screams of terror as malicious laughter could be heard._

_Jonah watched as his Uncle was shot and died next to him as he was forced onto his knees, his hands up in the air as he cried._

_"Please don't shoot me, please," he begged as the gang members surrounded him._

_"Why shouldn't we?" one asked._

_"I, I don't know, I can help you, please,"_

_"Hey Senor Lopez, we got a yellow one here, how old are you kid?"_

_"Four, fourteen sir,"_

_Jonah watched as a Latino man wearing a suit appeared in front of him and stared at him._

_"Hmmm, I've seen you around in Blackwater, tell you what, tell me something that will peak my interest and I will let you and your mother and sister live," Santiago said to him._

_"Like, like what?" Jonah asked._

_"What do you know about the area?"_

_"I,"_

_"Useless,"_

_"I, uh, if, if you're after gold, there's, there's a town called McKinley not too far from here, Arthur Pierce told me about it, his son Brett Pierce is Sheriff there and he used to be a Miner with his Doctor friend Quinton Fabray or something like that, and, and he makes good money and he has gold, he and his wife Santana are,"_

_"What did you say?"_

_"Gold in McKinley,"_

_"No, the girl's name?"_

_"San, Santana Pierce,"_

_"Her maiden name boy,"_

_"It, it's Lopez, I think, no, I'm sure, it's Lopez, she, I don't know where in Mexico she's from, but he said something about the daughter of a wealthy man and something about her being a whore,"_

_Santiago glared at the boy, "Are you certain her name is Santana and she is from Mexico?"_

_"Yes, yes, I am,"_

_"Where are they again?"_

_"McKinley, he'll tell you where the gold is, that's, that's all I can tell you,"_

_"Which man is married to Santana again?"_

_"Brett, Arthur Pierce's son Brett, a man in the bureau was talking about it after before he sent a telegram to somewhere,"_

_"So I wasn't reading things?"_

_"What?"_

_"Where is he living?"_

_"I don't know, I don't know where exactly, but you can ask around, I'm sure people will tell you,"_

_"Hmmm, not bad, you know what, I get my daughter Santana back, I'll let you live,"_

_"And my Ma and sister?"_

_"If I get her back, now what can you tell me about Brett Pierce?"_

_"I, Arthur said that he's his oldest child, he went to Mexico and he married a Latina named Santana who he met there, saved her from a women beater or something like that,"_

_"Good, well, you wait and we'll see what happens," Santiago sneered as Jonah was dragged away and locked up in the outhouse._

_"LET ME OUT, PLEASE LET ME OUT, I HATE SMALL PLACES, PLEASE LET ME OUT," he screamed._

* * *

Back in the present, Brett made Jonah pause.

"You told Santiago Lopez where to find us and he nearly kills her, I nearly lost Santana and Ben thanks to him," Brett said angrily through gritted teeth.

"I didn't know he was going to come after you like that, I didn't," Jonah started, "I thought he was after the gold, I swear that's all I thought he was after, I didn't think he'd go after Ma,"

"You're nothing but a yellow belly,"

"Pa,"

"Don't call me that and don't you dare call her that again, because of you Santana nearly died delivering Ben,"

"I'm sorry,"

"Save it,"

"I mean it, I'm really sorry,"

"Why? Why did you bother coming to my family? What did we ever do to you?"

"I, I didn't, I'm sorry,"

"What happen next? Why were you being pulled behind horses?"

* * *

_Jonah didn't know how long he was trapped in that outhouse, he just knew it was a long time. He was scared, he didn't like dark and cramped places, he just felt like he couldn't breathed.  
_

_He hoped that that man got the gold he wanted from Brett Pierce so that he would leave him and the ranch alone._

_Jonah cried a bit, his only father figure was gone, while Mark had only been in and out of his life, he eventually became a more stable figure when Jonah turned ten and his Uncle had married his mother and eventually the two had a daughter._

_Jonah rubbed his eyes as he could hear his mother crying and his sister screaming as her mother tried to make her quiet._

_"SHUT THAT BABY UP YOU PUTA OR I'LL DO IT FOR YOU," one of the men roared at her._

_Jonah heard his mother sob as he tried to figure a way out but couldn't see any means of escape._

_He didn't know what to do._

_Soon he heard angry footsteps coming towards the outhouse as Santiago ripped the door open and dragged him out._

_"So, that idiot Brett Pierce told me that if I were to ever go near Santana again he'd kill me, unless I reform, that stupid Gringo, you, you gave me useless information," he hissed._

_"No, I, I gave you what I could," Jonah started as Santiago whistled at his men._

_"Bring them out," he barked at them as the gang brought out Jonah's mother and sister.  
_

_"No,"_

_"Kill them,"_

_And with that command, Jonah watched as his mother and his sister were killed right in front of him. Their blood splattered everywhere and some hit his hands.  
_

_He felt his heart plummet as they pointed the gun to his head, he cried._

_"You know what, you want to live? Huh?" Santiago said._

_"Yes," Jonah said as he gripped the dirt and held it there, letting the blood slip through his fingers, he wanted revenge on this man, he wanted him dead, but he didn't know how or what to do.  
_

_"Good, you get into that Brett Pierce's family, and when he comes to Mexico, tell me he's there, I will capture his family and kill him, I will deliver his head to my stupid daughter and make her return home, do this and I will spare your life, for now, I will let you live,"_

_Brett Pierce, Jonah had to remember that name, perhaps that man could help him take his revenge, he just wasn't sure how to tell him that, so Jonah figured he'd wait and see what would happen as the gang members dragged him away from the ranch._

_END Flashback._

"But I met you a long time later," Brett said to Jonah.  
"I decided to ran for as long as I could, but I didn't know where to go and I couldn't quite remember which way McKinley was, so I stayed in Tumbleweed and hid, just like I told you, one day they caught me as I tried to sneak food and they tied me to the horses and told me that it's been long enough, time for me to pay my debt," Jonah said, "That's after they beat me up for running away and getting them in trouble with Santiago,"

"You ratted us out, is that why Santiago attacked us here in Chuparosa?"

"All I did was say you were in Mexico, he didn't ask for anything else so I didn't tell him about being in Chuparosa, how he knew I don't know, I'm sorry Pa, I didn't mean for him to attack us like that, I, I wanted to help you kill him, I swear it Pa,"

"No, you do not get to call me that," Brett said as he shot the air, "You're dead,"

And with that Brett walked away from the young boy, angry and hurt, as he went to find Jose's body.

"Bison, wait, please," Jonah started.

"Bison is what my friends call me boy," Brett said angrily.

"But,"

"No, you do not get to call me anything,"

"What am I going to do now?"

"I don't care,"

"I want to go back and see Ma, please,"

"You do that, you tell her the truth and if she wants to keep you, fine,"

Jonah followed him but Brett walked a few paces strongly ahead of him.

As evening fell, Maria and Jose were buried and put in their final resting places at Sepulcro, a small ceremony held by the Sisters and a Monseigneur.

Once the last bit of dirt fell, Jonah followed Brett into the Convent to pick up Quinton who was still sleeping on a gurney made from an old bed and sticks.

"Hey Paws," Brett said as he took his friend's hand

Quinton was asleep, so obviously he didn't reply.

"He is a strong man, he fought," Sister Martha said.

"Thank you Sister, I don't know how I can repay you all for all you have done," Brett said.

"It is no problem," Sister Mercedes said, "We are here to help all souls, and now that it seems that the revolution is over, perhaps we can have a small time of peace,"

"Small time?"

"You cannot deny that humanity is a warring race, that we will always want to fight, it is in our nature to do so,"

"I guess,"

"Goodbye Mr Pierce, may God be with you and your family,"

"And also with you,"

Brett saddled Midnight as Jonah saddled his horse and they all rode off home.

Quinton was in a carriage that was behind them.

* * *

It had been about four days now, Brett, Quinton and Jonah were finally back in McKinley.

Quinton was in hospital and resting as his body recovered, Rachel had just returned from San Francisco after Brett had telegrammed her the news of what happened before he had left Mexico.

"Is he okay?" Rachel asked him.

"Yes, he'll be okay, just, recovering, I had to kick his ass too, he was giving me crazy talk about leaving you on this Earth alone," Brett said.

"Good, he needs a reminder that he's a lot better than he thinks sometimes,"

"He just woke up and has been asking for you,"

"It's like he knows when I'm around,"

"It's a sixth sense,"

Rachel smiled as she entered the room; leaving Brett outside with Santana, Jonah and Ben.

"Quinton," Rachel started as she walked in and stroked his hair as she sat next to him on the hospital bed.

"Hi darling," Quinton said in a raspy voice.

"You're hurt,"

"I didn't come back in a box," he rasped.

"After Brett growled at you for wanting to quit,"

"He made me think about you and not accept death so quickly,"

"You nearly came back in a box,"

"I honestly thought I would, I was shot six times,"

"Oh Quinn,"

"But I'm okay now, by the Grace of God, I am here,"

"Yeah," Rachel said as she kissed him, "Quinn,"

"Yeah, darling," Quinton said as he placed a hand on her leg and patted it.

Rachel took his hand and placed it on her stomach and then touched the top of his hand.

He looked surprised for a moment before something dawned on him and he looked up at her.

"You sure?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Really?"

Again, Rachel nodded, "I wanted to surprise you when you got home, I didn't think you'd go through something so violent, if I knew,"

"You'd have let me go anyway because I promised Bison I'd be there for him,"

"That is true, but I would have made the U.S. Army protect you,"

Quinton laughed at that before asking, "So, godparents?"

"I know who I want," Rachel said softly.

"Me too,"

Rachel got up and went to get Brett and Santana.

Jonah was about to come too but Brett looked at him strongly so he sat down again and waited.

Santana gave Brett a look that said they'd talk about what was going on later.

Once inside the hospital room, Quinton started talking, "Bison, I want to thank you, for making me quit the loser talk, so, I want you and Santana to hear this first, Rachel and I, are becoming parents,"

"Really? Wow, Uh, I, congratulations, Paws," Brett said as he got up and shook Quinton's hand and Santana smiled as she kissed Ben's head and then hugged Rachel with one arm before letting her go.

"And we want you two as the baby's Godparents," Rachel added as she clutched onto Quinton's hand with a smile.

"Really?"

Rachel nodded her head at them.

"It'd be our honour," Santana said as she took Brett's hand and smiled at them.

* * *

As Brett, Santana, Ben and Jonah left the hospital, Brett let the horses go into the paddock as he stayed outside to think and smoke his pipe.

Santana took this opportunity to talk to Jonah after she put Ben to bed.

"Ma," Jonah started as Santana sat next to him and stroked his hair, "Am I a bad person?"

"Depends, why?" Santana asked.

"I'm really sorry Ma,"

"About?"

"I wanted a man to die for what he had done, for the young girl he killed, my friend, because of him she died, because of him, I have no family, I wanted him to die, I'm glad he died, does that make me a bad person?"

Santana looked at him as he had tears form in his eyes.

"Which man?"

"Your father,"

"My father's dead?"

Jonah nodded his head, "I don't know who killed him, but when Pa found me, he told me Santiago was dead and that the revolution was over, I thought he told you,"

"No, he hasn't,"

"I'm sorry, I guess he wanted to tell you first,"

Santana patted his back as she refrained from bolting out of the room and wanting to scream.

"Ma, does that make me a bad person?" Jonah asked again.

"No, you were and still are very angry about what his actions costed you, an innocent girl died because of him and his followers," she said softly.

"I'm sorry you had him for a father,"

"Sometimes I am too,"

"He is the reason they all died,"

"I know,"

"It hurts real bad Ma,"

"I know it does,"

"And I'm sorry Ma, I didn't know he'd try to take you back,"

"How'd you know about that?"

"Pa told me,"

"He did?"

"I'm really sorry, Pa's really angry at me,"

"What happened in Mexico?" Santana asked.

Jonah looked at her, "I screwed up and Maria died because of me,"

"And?"

"And I'm the reason your father found you,"

Santana just looked at him stunned as Jonah continued and basically told her everything he had told Brett.

When he finished his tale he couldn't even look at her.

Santana just got up and exited the room as Jonah wiped his tears away trying hard to be strong.

He looked out the window as he watched Santana put a hand on Brett's arm to get his attention then say something to him, Jonah decided that perhaps he'd take his leave, so he packed up his stuff and left the town. Leaving away things he wouldn't need as well as his horse, whom he wished he could take along, but he caused enough trouble and enough of a scene as it was.

He didn't want to go, he liked it here, he had a home here, a family, but in his mind he screwed up, so he left.

Unaware of him leaving, Brett and Santana were now sitting on the porch talking.

"Sanny, I'm so sorry," Brett said as he took Santana's hands and kissed them.

"About not telling me that my father was killed?" Santana asked.

"That too,"

"What do you mean?"

"I killed him,"

"Killed who?"

"Your father,"

Santana looked at him in shock and surprise.

"I'm really sorry," he said.

"I need a moment," she said as she walked away for a moment to breathe and scream into the night.

Brett looked at her sadly, many things were weighing on his mind; he had an inkling that Jonah had told Santana what had happened, and now with this, with finding out that her husband had killed her father, he knew it was a lot to take, but he knew he had to tell her the truth, they had promised each other that.

"Hey Brett," Santana said as she sat on Brett's lap a while later.

Brett smiled sadly at her as he put his pipe down and ran his hand up and down her back.

"Sorry, I needed a moment," she said.

"I know, I'm sorry," he said.

"I know,"

"I didn't want to kill him, but he was advancing on me,"

"You don't have to justify yourself to me, what happened in Mexico is between you and God, I cannot judge what happened, a part of me is glad he's gone, the other part is sad that he never changed,"

"I'm sad he didn't change for you,"

"Me too, I just, hoped, you know,"

"I know, I understand if you want to take the time to grieve,"

"I need time to adjust to the fact that he won't be here anymore,"

"Sanny, it's okay to cry you know,"

"I know, but I don't miss him like that, I miss what could have been,"

"What do you mean?"

"My father was never close to me or my mother, never, and because of that, my mother slept around, a lot, I'm not even sure if I was even really his to begin with,"

"Oh, I didn't know that,"

"My father was emotionally distant, but a part of me hoped that I would make him proud so that one day he'd love me with a love that a father should have for his child, I guess I never did make him proud enough,"

"Sanny, you spent your life being under your Father's thumb, living your life caring about what other people thought about you, or rather, what your father thought about you, but I will tell you something Sanny, you make me proud, you make all of those who love you just for being you, very, very proud,"

Santana smiled at him as she cuddled up to his chest, "I like that you can make me feel better,"

"I try," Brett said as the two were quiet for a moment.

"I'm guessing Jonah told you about his betrayal," Brett said breaking the silence.

"Brett, he is fourteen years old, he's a child, children don't look at death the way we do, besides I don't think he meant for us to get hurt the way we did," Santana said.

"I know, but I'm so angry at him, you and Ben nearly died,"

"Because my father was a bad man, you heard Jonah, my father killed his mother and his sister in front of his face for failing him when really all Jonah did was say there was gold here and that you and I lived here, I can't and I won't believe for one moment that if he knew he would have told the truth,"

"He's a yellow belly,"

"Brett, he's still a child,"

Brett sighed, "Doesn't make it hurt any less,"

"I know, and I'm sure he knows it will take a long time to gain your trust again, but he adores you, he'd do almost anything for you, I can see it,"

"How do you know?"

"My Mexican Third Eye,"

Brett sighed again before asking, "You think I'm being too hard on him?"

"A part of me yes, another part is shocked that he told my father that you were in Mexico, and another part isn't so sure how to feel,"

"With that being said, he didn't quite say where I would be in Mexico, just that I was in the country, I just wonder how your father knew I was in Chuparosa,"

"How everyone else knows,"

"How's that?"

"Gossip, when you rescued me you made quite an entrance and an exit, word would have traveled fast about you, plus with Sue there, there was no way you'd go anywhere else, my father was a very intelligent man, he would have worked out that you were there first,"

"I guess,"

"Maybe we should go talk to him, calmly,"

"Okay, you're the boss,"

"Of course I am,"

Brett smiled at her as he kissed her lips.

But when they got inside, Jonah was nowhere to be seen.

"I think he's run off," Santana said.

_'Oh no,'_ Brett thought to himself.

* * *

**AN 2:** So, that is Jonah's tale.  
For those of you wondering about Lisa and Ana, they will be featured in the next chapter.  
Until next time team.

I also just wanted to say **Thank you very much to everyone** has who has journeyed this far, I hope you'll keep "riding" this out with me. (Yeah, I couldn't help the pun).


	25. Chapter 25

**AN: **So, this chapter will be a bit jumpy - you'll see what I mean, oh and the word immigrant is deliberately spelt wrong for the purpose of this story.  
As for the next chapter, prepare for fluffiness...literally.

* * *

**Chapter 25:**

Brett saddled his horse as he and Puck decided to go try and find Jonah first, why first? Because after realising that Jonah had run away, Brett had also asked Santana if Ana and Lisa had decided to strike out on their own.

With Quinton in recovery after Mexico, he had completely forgotten to ask.

When Santana replied with a 'Who are Ana and Lisa?', Brett knew they didn't make it to McKinley, so first things first, find his boy, if Jonah still wanted to be his boy, and then he was going to find Ana and Lisa to make sure he could keep his promise to Jose.

"Which way do you think he went?" Brett asked Puck.

"Well, his footprints lead that way, guess he's heading in the direction of Tumbleweed," Puck said.

"Oh dammit, I was hoping he wouldn't go there, the Diablo Gang is still there,"

"We could always take them out, I mean, there are two of us, and we're damn hot stuff,"

Brett laughed before retreating to a sad smile.

"Hey, don't be hard on yourself, you have a right to be angry, I mean you nearly lost your girl, I'd be pissed too," Puck said.

"Yeah I guess, but now that I look back on it, the boy was just trying to protect his family, and really, he did think Lopez was after money, so you know, gold," Brett said.

"True," Puck said as the two kept riding.

See, earlier that morning, Brett had decided to tell Quinton, Rachel, and Puck about what happened in Mexico and Jonah's story, since the boy wasn't there to do it himself. (Finn was still out of town visiting family with Jenny).

Quinton got angry about that, but Rachel calmed him down. Brett had an inkling she'd probably tell him more or less the same thing that Santana had said to Brett the previous night, that Jonah was just a scared little boy who wanted to save his family.

As Puck and him neared Tumbleweed, the two got off their horses.

"Stupid kid," one man yelled as a punching sound could be heard as another voice was groaning in pain.

"You hear Alejandro? Lopez is dead," another said.

"What? Did you betray us?"

"I was never with you," Jonah spat back as he received another back hand to the face.

Brett figured he probably wasn't there long as he only had light bruising, chances were, the gang probably caught him that morning.

Puck climbed up the roof and made sure he was hidden well as he nodded at Brett before beginning to shoot the gang with his sniper rifle.

Brett ran from cover to cover shooting the gang members that were surrounding Jonah. The fight didn't take long and soon all of the Diablo gang members were dead.

Brett ran up to Jonah and untied him and helped him stand up.

"You okay boy?" Brett asked as Jonah looked up at him.

Jonah's bottom lip trembled a bit as he tried to be strong about it.

"C'mon, your Ma's worried about you," Brett said as he ushered Jonah on to Midnight.

The ride back to McKinley was quiet. Brett stopped by the hospital so that Jonah could get checked over.

Eventually he was just sent home, he had light bruising but it would heal and there seemed to be no damage.

When they entered the house, Santana drew Jonah into a big hug and caressed his hair.

"Don't ever run off like that again, you hear," Santana said to him.

Jonah looked at her and hugged her around her waist as he rested his head against her chest.

"I'm sorry Ma," he said.

Santana looked at Brett with a small smile that he returned.

After Jonah was fed and had rested for a few hours, Brett walked up to his room with a rifle.

Jonah looked a bit panicked.

"Listen, I'll let you rest for a few days, get your bearings again, okay, and if you want, you can come with me to find Ana and Lisa, but first," Brett said as he threw the Springfield Rifle into Jonah's hands.

Jonah looked at the gun before looking at Brett.

"We're going hunting boy, figured we'd do some actual father-son stuff, there's some deer not too far from here, that's if you want," Brett said as Jonah paused and then nodded his head, "Alright, you up for it now?"

"Yeah," Jonah said.

"Let's go, I'll teach you hunting and I'll teach you how to skin the animal before we go to one of the trading posts, okay,"

"Sure Pa,"

The hunting wasn't so bad, Jonah got spooked by a Mountain Lion that was stalking them, but Brett managed to kill it and then proceeded to show him how to skin the animal so that they could make use of the meat and fur.

Never really having the chance to hunt before, Jonah was incredibly oblivious to things around him, he even nearly sat on a Rattle Snake.

Brett had to pull him away quickly.

They finally managed to shoot an Elk, odd that the animal was in this area, but it was a good kill.

"Pa, I was wondering, will we ever get to kill buffalo?" Jonah asked.

"No," Brett said.

"Why?"

"Because they're dying out, we kill them all we won't have none left for the future, it's like what the natives say, you know,"

"The Indians?"

"Natives, boy,"

"Sorry, Natives?"

"Yeah, respect the Earth and take what you need, I like that principal,"

"It's good I guess,"

Brett patted Jonah's shoulder before saying, "Listen son, I was thinking, you're old enough and can be your own man if you want, but I was thinking that maybe you should go back and finish school,"

"I learnt what I needed Pa, and I used to read all the time around the house anyway,"

"Don't you want to be an accountant or something?"

"No, that's boring, I wanna be a Sheriff like you, I was told that we could pick a trade and go with it, so, can I learn about being a Sheriff like you?"

"I guess, BUT,"

"What?"

"You have to learn another language,"

"Why?"

"Because knowing another person's mother tongue is useful,"

"How many languages can you speak?"

"Five,"

"Five?"

"Yeah, English, Spanish, French, Latin and a dialect from one of the Native Tribes from around here,"

"You know a Native language?"

"Yeah, one of my best friends before he was killed was a Native, his mother worked hard, so did his father, their land was taken from them and they were treated like crap,"

"What happened to him?"

"Factory accident, but before he died he told me all about his culture, about loving the land, taking only what you need, he also taught me how to speak his native tongue,"

"Wow, so, I guess I could learn, can I learn Spanish like you?"

"Yeah,"

"Cool,"

As they made their way to one of the trading posts to sell most of the meat that they had gotten, Jonah paused and looked up at Brett.

"What is it?" Brett asked.

"Thanks for coming for me Pa," Jonah said.

"Any time, just don't run off again or I'll take a brush to your backside,"

Jonah subconsciously put his hands on his backside as Brett laughed at him.

* * *

Over the next two days, Brett and Jonah poured over maps as they looked for possible routes that Ana and Lisa could have taken.

"My guess is that they made it to Blackwater," Brett sighed, "Guess we'll be away from home for a couple of days,"

"Oh," Jonah said.

"What?"

"I just, I'll miss Ma's cooking,"

"Really?"

"Yeah,"

"You're not going to miss your baby brother in anyway?"

"No, you make me do diaper changes,"

"Part of being in a family,"

Jonah grumbled at that.

The following morning, Brett and Jonah boarded the train that would take them to Blackwater, the trip itself wouldn't be too long, and Brett hoped that they would only be there for four days at the most.

Santana decided to join them this time, the current month was usually quiet so Kurt wouldn't need that much help at his saloon.

Quinton had recovered enough and Rachel decided that she'd drag him for a holiday in San Francisco so that he could relax with her and her fathers.

Brett had laughed at his friend as he complained about going, stating that Rachel had already been there while he was in Mexico.

Rachel had just rebutted back that she was there to help an old friend at a Singing Lounge and Bar; and that she and Quinton hadn't had time for themselves in a long time.

When Quinton tried to come up with another excuse involving her pregnancy, she scoffed at him and said Jewish women were tougher than the usual.

At that point, Rachel's father Hiram had stepped in and patted Quinton on the back and said he should probably just give in and go.

Quinton sighed in defeat.

Anyway, the trip to Blackwater wasn't too bad, Santana and Ben slept, Jonah was reading a book and Brett was again looking at possible areas in Blackwater he could go.

He supposed he could go visit Simmons at the bureau just to say hi while he was at it.

Once the train arrived in Blackwater, the small family got out.

Brett went to one of the hotels that was newly built in town and let his family go in to rest, but Jonah was too excited about being back in the city that he followed Brett to the bureau as Santana decided she'd look around at the local shops to see if they had items she'd need for home that she couldn't get back at McKinley.

As the two entered the bureau building, a man said to Brett, "My word, Brett Pierce, how have you been?"

"Agent Simmons, how are you? It's been a while," Brett said as he tipped his hat at the man and shook his hand.

"Who's this?"

"Thought you'd recognise the gopher boy,"

"Nope,"

"Well, he used to work here at the bureau, mainly for my father I guess,"

"Oh I see, and who is he to you?"

"My son,"

"Son? You have him when you were fourteen boy?"

"No, adopted,"

"Oh,"

"What's your name son?"

"Jonah," Jonah answered, he didn't like Simmons very much, the guy always treated him like crap and sometimes literally kicked him over when he was trying to work, not that he'd tell Brett that right now though, since Brett had said that Simmons was a good family friend.

"Jonah?"

"Pierce,"

"You have the same last name?"

"No, I changed it,"

"So what's your real last name then?"

"My old last name was Burns,"

A look crossed Simmon's face so quickly that Brett wasn't sure it was there to begin with as Simmons turned to him and asked, "So, what can I do for you?"

"Just thought I'd drop by and say hi, oh and if I could get some Citizenship forms," Brett said.

"Why?"

"Two women,"

"You dog,"

"Not like that, like I said, two women who are friends of mine are coming in from Mexico and are planning to live here permanently, so, you know, I want them to be recognised and all that,"

"Sure, here,"

"That's it?"

"Yeah,"

Brett took the papers with him as he and Jonah walked out of the bureau.

"He looked at me funny Pa," Jonah said as he walked behind Brett.

"So you saw it too, I thought was imagining things, although, Simmons is a good family friend, he and my father were good friends once, anyway, let's go back to the station, maybe they saw the two there," Brett said.

When they got to the station they got some good news.

The station master had seen the two women leave the train station and were stopped by a laborer.

"They're working at a ranch I think, Beecher's Hope, bought that land from a Jack Marston they did, they've been looking for workers, though wouldn't trust that family as far as I could throw them," the station manager said, "They don't treat those they don't like right, so pretty much everyone except protestant white families are treated badly,"

Brett sighed as he went to get a carriage to take them to Beecher's Hope.

Upon arriving there, they knocked on the door and waited for an answer.

The door opened to reveal a balding man with a big beard.

"What can I do for you son?" he asked.

"I'm looking for two Latina's, names are Lisa and the other is Ana, a daughter and mother, Station master said they're working here," Brett said.

"I got a lot of them immigants workings here,"

"So, where are they?"

"Ploughing the fields, herding cattle, if it's the women they're doing laundry or working in the barn over there,"

"I want to see Lisa and Ana please,"

"Why?"

"They're friends,"

"Look son, you shouldn't be friends with scum like that, they come in here thinking they own the place,"

"They didn't, they were fleeing from a murderer,"

"Mr Bison," a voice said making Brett turn.

"Hey Lisa," Brett said as Lisa ran and hugged him around his waist.0

"Get your dirty hands off this man you stupid immigant or I'll tan your hide like I had to yesterday," the man yelled making Lisa cringe and hide behind Brett.

"Hey, don't talk to her like that," Jonah started but then ducked behind Brett as well when he saw the menacing look the man gave him.

"Sir, I'm a Sheriff, I'm asking you to let this girl and her mother go or I'll shoot you," Brett said calmly but with a scary air surrounding him when he heard that the man had beaten Lisa.

"You wouldn't," the man said.

"I would,"

"You ain't got jurisdiction,"

"I have connections with the bureau,"

"I don't care, I got them to work for me,"

"Because you lied to me and my mother, you knew we needed money, you said you'd help us get to McKinley, but you lied," Lisa said as she peeked out from behind Brett and clutched onto his waist.

"HEY, YOU WORK FOR ME, YOU HEAR, AND YOU'RE DAMN LUCKY THAT I ALLOW MEXICAN SCUM TO WORK FOR ME, THIS IS AMERICA NOT SOME FUCKING MEXICAN LAND, NOW GET BACK TO WORK YOU FILTHY PIECE OF GARBAGE,"

Brett punched the man hard in the face, "Don't raise your voice at her,"

The man tried to swing at him only to be punched even harder in the face and forced to his knees.

"How's it feel to be beaten? Huh? You've been bad, now you're being punished," Brett said as he punched the man again, and again, "Now, give them up,"

"Fine, take them, they were shit anyway," the man spat angrily yet there was some fear evident.

"Thank you," Brett said before punching the man in the face, "You EVER treat another woman like this again, I'll string you up alive for the vultures to eat,"

"You ain't coming back," the man said as he spat into Brett's face.

"Jonah, hold Lisa for me please," Brett said as Jonah took Lisa's hand.

Brett kicked the man to the ground as he pulled out his large hunting knife that he always carried with him and put it to the man's face.

"Maybe I should cut you then, you ain't much use to this land anyway, you seem to love terrorising those weaker than you, maybe I'll start with your prick, I'll feed it to the pigs, they eat garbage, then I'll slowly cut your skin off followed by your arms, then your legs, and while you're still alive, I'll let the mountain lions get you," Brett said as he waved his knife slowly but strongly in front of the man's face.

"No, no you wouldn't," the man stuttered.

"Wouldn't I?" Brett said, "I already punched you, what's to stop me from killing you slowly?"

The man pissed himself as Brett stood up and looked pleased with himself, "Looks like you pissed yourself you yellow belly,"

"Mr Bison, come, we'll get Mama," Lisa said as Jonah and her tried to cover up their smirks and laughter.

* * *

On the trip back, Ana was saying her thanks over and over again to Brett who just smiled at her.

Arriving back in Blackwater, Ana happily got out of the carriage just as Santana kissed the side of Brett's cheek and said hello.

After a bit of discussion over dinner later on that evening, it was decided that Ana and Lisa were to come and live with them at their house in McKinley.

"I will work hard for you Senor," Ana said.

"No, that's not necessary," Brett said, "You just retire, be a mother, that's all that matters, Lisa will find something to work in for her trade,"

"That is very kind of you,"

"My husband is a very loving man," Santana said with a smile as she patted Brett's arm.

Brett smiled back.

"Are you okay with us coming? Really?" Ana asked.

"Of course," Brett said, "Though it looks like Jonah and I will be outnumbered here,"

Santana laughed at that.

"Santana, if you like, I can help you around the house, it'd be nice to have someone to speak Spanish with," Ana said.

"Brett speaks Spanish, Jonah's learning," Santana answered.

"I don't know how to thank you?"

"Well, I've always wanted a loving mother," Santana said with a smile as Ana looked at her with a smile too.

"That I can do, mi hija," Ana said as she placed her hands on Santana's cheeks and brought her head towards her own to place a kiss on Santana's forehead. (My daughter).


End file.
